Kennel Cough

[RatGurl]

Hello everyone....I am new here and this is my first post. I wonder if anyone out there can give me any advise on one of my dogs. About two years ago I found a rat terrier on the internet down in Ft Worth Texas and went and rescued him. He was at the humane society and had been there for two months and nobody was adopting him because he had heartworms. I took him to my vet and had him tested (occult) for heartworms and he was negative. Anyway, the main concern I have is that he keeps getting kennel cough. He now has it for the 4th time since I have had him. He was vaccinated for it and I understand there are multiple strains, however, I haven't fostered dogs in over a year and my other two are not ever getting it....just Rippy. I do not take him to public places and he doesn't go anywhere to be around other dogs. My vet treats him with Clavamox each time. I read in one of your posts that this would cure on it's own?

[Carina]

Well it should resolve on it's own...I'd wonder a few things here. Like:
Are you SURE it's kennel cough? Seems odd that a dog would keep getting it over & over again if he's not even getting exposed...What kind of vac is he getting? The nasal spray one is supposed to be more effective, I believe. He may just have an inherently weak immune system - there's some things you can do to help that.

I'd also have his heart checked properly, by a cardiologist. Coughing is a common indicator of heart disease, so I'd wonder too about the HW issue. Does he tire easily, have poor coat, anything like that?
Just listening to a heart won't necessarily diagnose a problem.

What does your vet say? I'd be looking for more answers here, if he were my dog.

Oh, and welcome & bless you for rescuing!

[Lucky Rescue]

What Carina said! Coughing can be a sign of heartworms, or other heart probs.

Welcome to the board and thanks for saving that baby!

[Luba]

Ditto may not be KC at all! I'd do some further investigating.

Kennel cough is very distinctive, they throw up bile and have huge amounts of mucus coming from their mouth ....lose a lot of weight as well. I've seen some bad cases.

It could be other respiratory issues or allergies, asthma, bronchitis....not always KC.

[RatGurl]

Thanks for all the reply's. I have taken Rippy to the vet each time he has had this. They think definately KC each time. Each time I have explained to her that I would come home in the middle of the day and he would all of a sudden be acting like he has something caught in his throat. Would have been perfectly normal that morning. It is always all of a sudden. The vet always says it is KC when she rubs the neck and the hacking starts. I will speak to my vet about checking his heart. As far as the heartworm, he has had the occult hw check about three or four times since I have had him....it's always negative and he also gets the pro-heart 6-month hw injection. Thanks to everyone for speaking with me regarding this....

[Luba]

When was the dog vaccinated against kennel cough?