Kennel cough vaccination

[jonnytrabant]

Harrys dog sitter has insisted we get Harry the kennel cough vaccination, due to her being (wrongly) accused of giving another dog kennel cough, anyhow long story Harry has had it, up the nose, just wondering if anyone else has had it, I thought Kennel Cough is nasty so for £20, can't do him any harm. Just wondering other people's thoughts

[Jane57]

Riley had the spray up his nose at the same time as his microchip was done when he was about 12 weeks, The puppy training class recommended it was done so we had it .

[jen1876]

Jasper's just had his second KC vaccine with his other boosters. He doesn't go in kennels but as he goes to dog training we thought we'd keep him updated

[JohnK]

We have had our two done, just in case, as we meet so many other dogs. Better safe than sorry and our vets recommended it and have their own dogs done, even though they are never kennelled.

[Snoo]

Clover is very nearly 18 months old now and has just had her annual booster for kennel cough - I'm not taking any chances, although I am aware that it does not protect 100% against every strain of KC. She will be going to agility again in the spring and walks where other dogs walk and sniffs where other dogs sniff so I just felt happier having it done!

[Helen]

IMHO it is iineffectual as the virus mutates constantly and the vaccine can never protect a dog from every strain.

Unless I had to vaccinate for kennels then I wouldn't waste the money.  Most cases of kennel cough are like a mild cold and a healthy dog gets over it very very quickly.

Another money spinner for vets 

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bordetella-does-your-dog-really-need-the-kennel-cough-vaccine/

I particularly like this "If the person insisting on the Bordetella vaccine is afraid other dogs at their establishment will contract kennel cough from your unvaccinated dog, this person clearly doesn’t trust that the vaccinated dogs actually have immunity. If they don’t believe the vaccine is protective,  why insist that you or anyone else vaccinate?"

That question has always perplexed me regarding vaccinations and boosters 

[piph]

IMHO it is iineffectual as the virus mutates constantly and the vaccine can never protect a dog from every strain.

Unless I had to vaccinate for kennels then I wouldn't waste the money.  Most cases of kennel cough are like a mild cold and a healthy dog gets over it very very quickly.

Another money spinner for vets 

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bordetella-does-your-dog-really-need-the-kennel-cough-vaccine/

I particularly like this "If the person insisting on the Bordetella vaccine is afraid other dogs at their establishment will contract kennel cough from your unvaccinated dog, this person clearly doesn’t trust that the vaccinated dogs actually have immunity. If they don’t believe the vaccine is protective,  why insist that you or anyone else vaccinate?"

That question has always perplexed me regarding vaccinations and boosters 

I have to agree, Helen.  We haven't put any dogs in kennels for years, but when we did, and had to have the KC vaccine, the kennels insisted it was done within 14 days of our dog entering the kennels.  The vet said that this was because immunity didn't last very long, and we would be lucky if it even provided immunity as it mutates continually.  None of our dogs, vaccinated or otherwise have ever caught KC, although from reading some threads on here it seems to be making a comeback.

[LinziS]

Both my girls are Kennel Cough vaccinated as they go into kennels every year....Didn't make a blind bit of difference with Erin a couple years back as she ended up coming home from kennels with it...there had been an outbreak despite the kennels insisting all dogs are vaccinated.
As previously pointed out the virus has many different strains and constantly mutates.

[Ninasmum]

IMHO it is iineffectual as the virus mutates constantly and the vaccine can never protect a dog from every strain.

Unless I had to vaccinate for kennels then I wouldn't waste the money.  Most cases of kennel cough are like a mild cold and a healthy dog gets over it very very quickly.

Another money spinner for vets 

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/bordetella-does-your-dog-really-need-the-kennel-cough-vaccine/

I particularly like this "If the person insisting on the Bordetella vaccine is afraid other dogs at their establishment will contract kennel cough from your unvaccinated dog, this person clearly doesn’t trust that the vaccinated dogs actually have immunity. If they don’t believe the vaccine is protective,  why insist that you or anyone else vaccinate?"

That question has always perplexed me regarding vaccinations and boosters 

I agree with Helen too 
In fact many, many years ago we had to kennel our previous 2 dogs (i would never use kennels nowadays).  The kennels insisted our dogs had the KC vaccine, when we returned to pick them up they had picked up Kennel Cough despite having the vaccine    I just don't see the point of it. 

[Wendy G]

Bailey actually contracted KC from the vaccine and the treatment was paid for by the drug company.
 
I then had a very bad chest infection which I am sure I got from him.

He only had it because he went into Kennels

[maddy74]

Willow had it despite her vaccine.  She had it really bad and it started about 5 days after her spay, im sure she caught it at the vet.... 

[Cockertime Blues]

I keep our dogs' KC vaccine up to date because it's a requirement (rightly or wrongly) for Therapets and for going into boarding kennels.  Also because they go with me sometimes to rescue kennels where it does break out now and again.  Since I think it takes about 5 days after vaccination to start working, maybe that's why dogs can still get it at boarding kennels?  I've no idea why Therapets would need it.  Can it cross species?

Helen I thought it was about the same as humans getting a flu jag?  Probably helps but you might get flu anyway?

[praia]

I don't allow my dogs to socialize with strange dogs so we never bothered with the bordetella vaccine until recently.  

My Cocker pup is active in conformation shows so she was vaccinated, but we didn't think to vaccinate the rest of our dogs.  Of course, she ends up bringing back a nasty strain from a show she had been to and she, the only dog that was vaccinated was completely fine while all the other dogs suffered to various degrees.  My other spaniel who is still relatively young and very healthy only got a slight cough, but other than that was fine.  My elderly terrier and the other dog, which is a brachycephalic breed, suffered greatly and had to get medication to help them through it.

If you have an older dog, a sickly dog, or a breed of dog that is brachycephalic I would recommend getting the vaccine.  Seeing my two suffer through it as they did completely changed my mind about the vaccine.