Well, it's been a week and two days since we brought Jack home from the Humane Society, and we're fairly certain that both he and Molly are now suffering from kennel cough. Poor Molly sounds like she has something stuck in her throat that she's trying to breathe around; she's always snorting and honking and if I didn't feel so sorry for her, I might think the sounds were funny. Jack is sneezing almost nonstop, and seems to just want to lay around a lot. Kennel cough is generally supposed to run its course within 10-14 days, so no dog parks or obedience classes for Mr. Jack until we know he's better. We've been advised by the vet to make sure Molly rests, since any exertion makes the breathing issues worse. We'll have to watch both of them closely, but especially Molly, since kennel cough can turn ugly in the very young or old, and since she is immunocompromised due to medications she is on for other issues..
I never knew anything about kennel cough until just the last few days, but it has me a little paranoid, honestly. There is a vaccination which many dogs receive (and which Jack received upon being surrendered to the HSU) called Bordetella, but there are several complications. First of all, the bordetella bacteria is only one cause of the the upper-respiratory infection commonly called kennel cough or tracheobronchitis, so the vaccination can't provide complete protection against infection. Secondly, the virus is highly contagious, and can reside really anywhere, from the fence that an infected dog coughed on to ANY dog's coat, to our own hands. Thirdly, even after a dog recovers from the infection, they will continue to 'shed' the bacteria for 6-14 WEEKS, thus still contagious. Additionally, the HSU is a breeding ground for kennel cough in particular, as well as many other problems. Even once Jack and Molly are better, the obedience classes that have been recommended by the vet are held at the humane society, so I don't know what to think about that. Basically, from the reading I've done, it seems to be nearly futile to protect your own dog or any other dog for that matter. It makes me overwhelmed.
1 comment:
Oh boy. There are so many problems at the shelters and at the HSU that this is probably not a huge priority. But it's like having children. Take them to the park and it's a guarantee that another child will be sick. I hope both your little pups feel better soon.
You should check out some doggie day care places for training. They often have really good classes too. :) Good luck!
Post a Comment