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Old July 17th, 2006, 04:42 PM
bazketmakr bazketmakr is offline
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Question Asthmatic dog? Vaccine Reaction?

My 5 year old Chessie/Lab mix has an irregular cough or wheeze. It happens most frequently at night, but not frequently enough to have the vet witness it. Being an asthmatic myself, I think that is what it is. It seems she is having trouble breathing. When we travel, we get the kennel cough vaccine, in case we have to leave her in a kennel. This always seems to make the cough worse. Sometimes it takes days or a few weeks before the symptoms appear, but she usually starts coughing, generally at night.

Two weeks ago, she was given the kennel cough vaccine. We did not notice any real coughing until about a week later, when we arrived at our farm in PA (we live in NC.) There was lots of tall grass, up to my shoulders, through which the dogs push. The first night there, this dog started coughing. By the second day, she was in obvious distress, foaming from her mouth, and straining with the coughs. The skin around her eyes turned bright red, as did her nostrils. This was in a remote area, at night. I remembered our neighbor's dog being given human cold medication with an antihistimine/ decongestant for anxiety. So I gave her a benadryl. Within in hour, she was in much less distress, and her mucus membranes had become less red.

Each day we were at the farm, she began to cough at some time during the day, and I gave her another antihistimine. This always seemed to give her some relief. Now that we are home, she is still experiencing some coughing. I don't know if it is from the vaccine, or from allergies. Thanks for your help!

Does anyone have any suggestions for determining the cause of her distress? Anyone else experience trouble with the kennel cough (bordadella?) vaccine? Most kennels will not board dogs without it, in my experience, and traveling interstate i always feel like i need to be prepared.
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Old July 17th, 2006, 09:03 PM
Prin Prin is offline
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What did the vet say about it?
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Old July 17th, 2006, 09:19 PM
DRN DRN is offline
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Our oldest dog has allergies and asthma that respond to Benadryl (per the vet's prescription) and that gets worse after he is vaccinated. For the past 2 years, we divided up the vaccines and vaccinated him at various times throughout the year, rather than making one annual vet visit with multiple vaccines. We also use the lowest possible doses and postpone vaccinating if he seems sick or allergic at the regular visit. He's doing much better now that we've made these changes.

Last edited by DRN; July 17th, 2006 at 09:23 PM.
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Old July 18th, 2006, 11:07 AM
bazketmakr bazketmakr is offline
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what the vet said?

I have mentioned this several times to our vet, but not pressed the issue, since I have not been able to bring the dog when the coughing is happening. She said the vaccine probably was causing some sensitivity, and recommended we try a new one that is injectable, instead of being blown into the nose. This time when I took them for the vaccine, the vet office said they were no longer offering the injectable kennel cough. I suppose that means it was not effective or expensive? I don't know. We only see the vet about once a year per dog, so they tend to be pretty healthy. I think I will just try to avoid the kennel cough vaccine in the future, and may try to space out the other vaccinations, as recommended in the other reply. It makes me feel better to know other people have had benadryl prescribed for their dogs, and I will also ask the vet for specific instructions on dealing with this when it happens again. I was particularly shocked by the inflamed mucus membranes, and should have attempted to consult a vet right then. But it would have been long distance for anyone to call us, and I don't think they would have done that. thanks very much for your replies!
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Old July 18th, 2006, 11:38 AM
DRN DRN is offline
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I didn't realize you were talking about the nasal/inhaled vaccine. Our puppy got bronchitis - bronchitis looks alot like asthma - from the nasal vaccine. Some dogs apparently don't tolerate the nasal vaccines well and, if it happens again, consult your vet because your dog will need antibiotics.
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