Hi

Just wondered what peoples view is of vaccinating your dog against kennel cough .  Should pups be getting vaccinated ?

Is it worth it ?

I've just had to pay out for Kennel cough as Murphy is going into the kennels for 1 day and they won't accept him without it.

IMO, I wouldn't bother unless you were putting your dog into a kennel.

I'm with Gill on this. You could have your dog vaccinated but there are different strains so your dog could still get it. I

Both of my dogs were vaccinated but caught the virus even though they weren't in kennels. My vets had already warned us that the virus was in the area and that any dog could catch it even out walking. My young, healthy Beagle went down with it very quickly and had to be rushed to an emergency vet or he wouldn't have survived, 3 days later my spaniel also started coughing. She was more fortunate and only had a mild dose. Having seen how terrible this virus can be I will always vaccinate. Maybe if more people did we could make headway on reducing viral infections like this.

We vaccinate if we have a dog under a year old and we hear that there is an outbreak, on reflection now that Fern is eleven we should also have her vaccinated.

Our Ollie was vacinated as a pup.  I must have looked shocked as the vet got the vaccine out of a huge bottle with an enormous needle and said they put the vaccine up his nose.  When she saw my face she said not using the needle, just the syringe.  Phew!! what a relief.  I had Olllie vaccinated again when he went for his booster as vet had previously said that they can pick it up even mixing with other dogs whilst out walking.  Ollie occassionally goes to a lady who looks after dogs - they just play outside and sleep in the house and she insists on kennel cough vaccine being up to date.  As I assume it doesn't do any harm and for waht it costs I would do it.  Marc

We just kenneled our boys for the first time last week. I visited the kennel a while before and they accepted dogs without. I was unsure what to do, so spoke to our vet who said they could have the vaccine but can still catch kennel cough as there are several strains and the vaccine doesn't give 100% protection. We decided not to bother. The vet did make us aware of any symptoms to watch for and the kennels has never had an outbreak.

I think it's a personal choice.

Thanks for your comments.  Taking them to see what vet says on Friday .

My cocker is not vaccinated as our vet says it rarely works but my own experience of kennel cough with my springer was a dreadful experience and some dogs can really get this bad.  My springer caught kennel cough at 6 months and I picked it up immediately, he was at the vets within 2 hours of first slight cough followed by 3 different types of medication later.  He had no end of examinations and x-rays under general which showed he had lung damage/scarring.  This left only one route the dreaded steriods to stop the cough and allow him to eat properly.  The whole event took him 3 years to get over and still now has a sensitive windpipe which means he has to have a harness.

Now what did I learn - well my old lab cross had vaccinations as he went in kennels and never had kennel cough.  My springer now can't have the vaccine and I won't take the risk of putting him anywhere near kennels so no more foreign holidays.  My cocker is not vaccinated as I have no evidence it works just that my old cross was lucky according to my vet. 

So - you have to have them vaccinated for kennels but I don't believe and I'm advised it doesn't work as a general vaccination idea.  Saying that if there was anything I could do to stop my springer getting so ill - he was at deaths door twice that christmas, he was so very ill we syringe fed him and didn't leave his side for 2 weeks.  His only lasting damage is that he has this sensitive windpipe and is `bottom shy' because of having his temperate taken so many times !!!  Oh and he now wees at the vets every time they touch him !

Thanks for everyones comments.

I discussed it with my vet and he advised me to have the 3 of them vaccinated.  He explained that there are different strains of the virus and that they can still get it but that they would be covered from the worst type.  Also if they do pick it up they won't be as ill as they would be if not vaccinated,  So they are all vaccinated now and will not need it again for a year !