Can dogs pass kennel cough to cats?

[shanniesue2]

Okay, now that Georgie has gotten past her kennel cough, one of our cats is coughing (and it's coughing... it sounds different from a hairball or a retch). Is kennel cough a zoonotic disease?

Sheesh! I'm tired of our animals getting sick!

[doglady]

KENNEL COUGH
Kennel Cough is fairly contagious among dogs. It can also be picked up by cats, rabbits, pigs and guinea pigs. Classically, the infection is picked up when dogs are amongst other dogs such as at the kennel, groomer, dog park, obedience class, animal shelter, vaccination clinic, etc. The coughing usually begins somewhere between 2-14 days after exposure and a dog is considered contagious for 7-10 days after the coughing subsides. Dogs are considered more at risk when under stress or exposed to heavy dust, cigarette smoke, cold temperature or poor ventilation. It is a condition generally treatable with cough suppressants alone or in combination with antibiotics. It can develop into a serious condition when it affects the very young.

[weezyNollie]

Kennel cough can be transmitted to cats, but it's not very common that this happens.

And NO, it is not zoonotic. However, it is a derivative of Whooping Cough in humans.

[irishred]

maddux just finished a week of clamovox for his kennel cough. it's not gone yet. the cough seems "looser"...less wheezy and more phlegm-ey, but it's not gone. i'm starting to get worried. I'm calling the vet today.

[weezyNollie]

The Clavamox won't get rid of the cough. All the antibiotic does is prevent Kennel Cough from turning to pneumonia.

The only thing that might help is an antitussive, but that only gets rid of the cough and the virus may still be in the body.

[pung-yo]

Kennel cough can be passed on to cats, don't see it too often though. Do you give anything in the cat food to dissolve the furballs? Just keep an eye out for now.

[pung-yo]

Did Maddux only get the Clavamox for this? No cough meds?

[shanniesue2]

Originally Posted by weezyNollie

The Clavamox won't get rid of the cough. All the antibiotic does is prevent Kennel Cough from turning to pneumonia.

The only thing that might help is an antitussive, but that only gets rid of the cough and the virus may still be in the body.

And the one thing that you have to consider, is that if maddux is coughing stuff up, that means he's getting the bad stuff out. It's kind of a catch 22, because on one hand, you want him to get it out and if you suppress the cough it will all stay in his system. On the other hand, the coughing could be irritating his wind pipes which could lead to more coughing.

I think I said it earlier... Kennel Cough is a virus, so the dog's immune system has to fight it off... you can't get medicine that will make it go away. The Antibiotics are only to prevent secondary bacterial infection.

[irishred]

Originally Posted by pung-yo

Did Maddux only get the Clavamox for this? No cough meds?

they didn't give him a cough med because they wanted to see if it improved, and a cough supressant would have covered up and progress that was being made. were going to the vet today...again!!!