Kennel Cough - any experiences?

[spacefaer]

My local pack has come down with the cough and for all my years hunting, it isn't something I've had to deal with.

there are various rumours going about - as with all hunts, everyone has their own opinions, as to where it has come from, how long it will last, how long the pack will be off games (no autumn hunting for the foreseeable) etc

Anyone else had experience of it with their packs, how long did it last, and so on?

Bad time of year to be off

 

[Dry Rot]

The canine equivalent of the common cold. Can't say I have ever made a conscious effort to record how long it lasts. Generally ignore and it goes away in it's own time. 2 - 3 weeks?

 

[L&M]

Agree with above - you won't see any action usually for 2 weeks after the last hound has stopped coughing. It is highly contagious and although not deadly, can make the hounds quite low.

We had 2 seasons in a row when our hounds were struck down by the 'cough' - very frustrating, but you have to just wait it out. Maybe time to go visiting?

I always wonder why hounds are not vaccinated against it as domestic dogs can be, and can only assume it is the cost....

 

[spacefaer]

Apparently they have been vaccinated. ....

Been visiting already but it makes for seriously early mornings! ! :-(

 

[Sandstone1]

Vaccines only works on certain strains, like the flu vaccine in humans. If they are already coughing vaccine won't help.
Should not really be worked for 10 days after they stop coughing.
Honey or child's cough mixture can help a bit.
It's very contagious, so hounds should not be allowed near any other dogs.
Most dogs shake it off quite quickly.
Occasionally it will make them really poorly and then antibiotics may be needed.

 

[meesha]

No experience of it in hounds, but our BC got it from an overnight stay in knennels, he was vaccinated and seemed fine just had a cough for a few days, vets said keep en eye on it but no need to take him in unless really worried, he was young, fit and healthy so hounds should recover fine but won't be able to go out again until all clear!

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Whilst most of the above is true, just a note to say that Hounds can die of KC. This is why you really shouldn't bring to meet the hounds. Vaccination as someone said don't always work, and some huntsman don't think they help at all, and there is a cost. But if you take a dog with you out hunting please consider getting them vaccinated.
Unfortunately due to nature of kennels and packs of hounds it can take ages to go through the kennels. Meaning it could be a while until you are out, although some times this means neighbouring packs may hunt your land.

 

[Stark Dismay]

Our hounds picked it up on the hound show circuit in summer 2013. We thought it was mild, and started autumn hunting in the september, but after a week it was clear something was not right. The cough got worse, and it took over 2 months to go through the whole kennels and for all hounds to be well again. Our opening meet was delayed by nearly a month, and even then, things were still steady up till Christmas. One hound did die - a bit worse than 'a doggie cold!'

As has been said, think carefully if you take an unvaccinated dog out with you. Our hounds were vaccinated last year - it cost £4000. It is a lot of money for what is effectively a small, 2 day a week pack.

So sorry to be the bearer of bad news. All you can do is wait. And a word of advice - the hunt staff and masters found it all very stressful - it wasn't helped by people calling all the time to see what was going on. Sometimes the answer to 'how long before we are hunting again' is 'how long is a piece if string?'

 

[twiggy2]

Our hounds picked it up on the hound show circuit in summer 2013. We thought it was mild, and started autumn hunting in the september, but after a week it was clear something was not right. The cough got worse, and it took over 2 months to go through the whole kennels and for all hounds to be well again. Our opening meet was delayed by nearly a month, and even then, things were still steady up till Christmas. One hound did die - a bit worse than 'a doggie cold!'

As has been said, think carefully if you take an unvaccinated dog out with you. Our hounds were vaccinated last year - it cost £4000. It is a lot of money for what is effectively a small, 2 day a week pack.

So sorry to be the bearer of bad news. All you can do is wait. And a word of advice - the hunt staff and masters found it all very stressful - it wasn't helped by people calling all the time to see what was going on. Sometimes the answer to 'how long before we are hunting again' is 'how long is a piece if string?'

fit young dogs usually recover fairly quickly although it can take time for them to be hunting fit again, it is like a cold in humans and it is not the kennel cough they die from but secondary infections and if they are treated (by a vet) and given antibiotics then they usually make a full recovery. the very old, very young and those in ill health are at risk yes but that is the same with the common cold in humans.
most vets charge less than £20 per vaccine for kennel cough and for a pack of hounds it would be even cheaper per head, so unless the 'small' pack has over 200 dogs then I think it unlikely that the total was £4000 just for kennel cough vaccines

 

[Sandstone1]

fit young dogs usually recover fairly quickly although it can take time for them to be hunting fit again, it is like a cold in humans and it is not the kennel cough they die from but secondary infections and if they are treated (by a vet) and given antibiotics then they usually make a full recovery. the very old, very young and those in ill health are at risk yes but that is the same with the common cold in humans.
most vets charge less than £20 per vaccine for kennel cough and for a pack of hounds it would be even cheaper per head, so unless the 'small' pack has over 200 dogs then I think it unlikely that the total was £4000 just for kennel cough vaccines

Quite right. It's not usually serious if the dogs are rested while coughing.

 

[Stark Dismay]

fit young dogs usually recover fairly quickly although it can take time for them to be hunting fit again, it is like a cold in humans and it is not the kennel cough they die from but secondary infections and if they are treated (by a vet) and given antibiotics then they usually make a full recovery. the very old, very young and those in ill health are at risk yes but that is the same with the common cold in humans.
most vets charge less than £20 per vaccine for kennel cough and for a pack of hounds it would be even cheaper per head, so unless the 'small' pack has over 200 dogs then I think it unlikely that the total was £4000 just for kennel cough vaccines

I'm so glad you've pointed all that out to me, Twiggy2, clearly our hunt is run by muppets who don't call out the vet and is mostly made up of frail old dogs. We flogged them every day, of course, and didn't give them a second's rest. That'll be why we lost our entire autumn's hunting last year. Or maybe we lost it BECAUSE we were resting them, and were unfortunate enough that they picked up a particularly nasty strain that even with good veterinary advice and excellent animal husbandry it was difficult to shake. I will concede I may have been wrong on the £4000 for our pack, although that was the figure quoted at the fundraising we had. It may have been that sum to vaccinate the pack of beagles next door too.

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

HOUNDS CAN DIE OF KENNEL COUGH, NORMAL PET DOGS ARE NOT AT THAT RISK!! unless pick up a secondary infection etc etc. This is one of the reasons that it is so bad when hounds get it. All kennel staff will do the best they can for the hound they look after. As Stark Dismay said they want fit hounds and to be back again and wil be pretty stressed. Please support them when you can. KC can also be a massive fincial loss!!

 

[Sandstone1]

HOUNDS CAN DIE OF KENNEL COUGH, NORMAL PET DOGS ARE NOT AT THAT RISK!! unless pick up a secondary infection etc etc. This is one of the reasons that it is so bad when hounds get it. All kennel staff will do the best they can for the hound they look after. As Stark Dismay said they want fit hounds and to be back again and wil be pretty stressed. Please support them when you can. KC can also be a massive fincial loss!!

Not sure why hounds are at any more risk than any other dog in a kennel environment?
Most young healthy dogs will shake it off quite quickly with rest but there will always be the occasional dog who gets a secondary infection.
It is highly contagious and will go through a kennel such as rescue kennels, boarding kennels etc very quickly.
Pet dogs are at risk if they come in to contact with it.
This is why it's important to keep your dog away from others if it's coughing.
It's airborne so a cough or sneeze can easily spread it.

 

[twiggy2]

I'm so glad you've pointed all that out to me, Twiggy2, clearly our hunt is run by muppets who don't call out the vet and is mostly made up of frail old dogs. We flogged them every day, of course, and didn't give them a second's rest. That'll be why we lost our entire autumn's hunting last year. Or maybe we lost it BECAUSE we were resting them, and were unfortunate enough that they picked up a particularly nasty strain that even with good veterinary advice and excellent animal husbandry it was difficult to shake. I will concede I may have been wrong on the £4000 for our pack, although that was the figure quoted at the fundraising we had. It may have been that sum to vaccinate the pack of beagles next door too.

hmmmm rather defensive post, unfortunately you don't appear to have read my post you think you have replied to as I did not make any of the accusations you appear to be responding to.

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Hounds are more at risk of dying from KC then other kenneled dogs, not sure the reason why but they are. Which is why I said on an earlier post about not taking your dogs to see the hounds and to vaccinate them if you take them out.

 

[twiggy2]

Hounds are more at risk of dying from KC then other kenneled dogs, not sure the reason why but they are. Which is why I said on an earlier post about not taking your dogs to see the hounds and to vaccinate them if you take them out.

surely if the dogs were so at risk then they would not attend the country shows in the summer? I am not disagreeing that they are but will ask as one of the vets I work with hunts all through the hunting season and used to be joint master with a local pack

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

It is a risk to take hounds to the shows, but it is important to as it helps public relations and can bring I more money. There is obviosouly a risk when ever they are out, we can just all do the best to minimise it. As far as my hmm is aware (who is a vet) this applies to all types of hounds.

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

Sorry was meant to say my mum, typed to quickly into the phone.