 |
| For some reason this reminds me of the American Gothic painting. I think it's Indi's serious expression. |
Before the diagnosis I was really worried since I felt two huge lumps under his jaw line and of course thought cancer!! I don't know if puppies this young come down with cancer, but since it's a problem in the breed and swollen lymph nodes can be a sign I wasn't a happy camper. He also had eye discharge but increased so I took him into the vet. No coughing, no lethargy and certainly no loss of appetite. The vet thought it could be his salivary glands and gave us eye drops for conjunctivitis. That very evening Porter comes down with a productive cough. Kennel cough first came to mind but I was also worried about distemper. Since he's still young I took him in the next day and the vet felt it was likely kennel cough and sent us home with antibiotics.
Three vet visits in one week (the first was his well puppy check up and of course he was perfectly healthy on that day). My pocketbook was crying but at least I wasn't freaking out about my baby's health anymore.
Indi started getting the same symptoms, the eye discharge and several days later the cough. Her cough more the typically kennel cough hacking. I refrained from taking her to the vet since she's a very healthy dog and kennel cough just needs to run it's course. If she was elderly or a young pup we would have see the vet.
Both are fine now, but it was a pain not being about to take Porter out anywhere. He missed visiting a few agility trials and romping around with his friends.
I don't vaccinate for kennel cough but this episode made me think twice about that decision. When Porter was at his worst (which was nothing really) I felt bad he was sick and though maybe I should start vaccinating him with Bortadella to spare him this misery. Now that the dogs are better and recovered very quickly I'm in a better frame of mind (not so reactionary) and still will refrain from that shot/spray. If I board Porter I might get it done or if he catches it again soon then I will. But this is Indi's first time being sick and she used to go out and about to dog parks and dog classes all the time. I know it's highly contagious, but I don't feel it's one to worry about with healthy dogs.
Speaking of shots, Porter gets his rabies vaccine tomorrow.
 |
| This is the trouble making neighbor's cat in action. |
2 comments:
In the three and a half years I had Ira he was not sick once, other than the serious ear infection he had when I got him, and of course the cancer that eventually got him. He went to dog parks once or twice a week and was at daycare with me most days for the first couple of years. Now Dragon goes to dog parks and daycare every day I'm working, and he's never been sick either. Neither of them even got sick when we had sick dogs coming in and out during waves of bordetella going through the local population.
The vaccine only covers a few strains anyway. Earlier this year we had a strong new strain hitting lots of dogs that were dog park regulars and even had been vaccinated, so it's just not worth it.
Glad they are both feeling better. I never vaccinate for kennel cough but have never had a problem. I might consider it in very specific instances but to most dogs it is not much worse then when we get a human cold. They probably both got some excellent immunity from this instance.
Post a Comment