| If you plan to board your Chihuahua, enter | | | | concern behind preventing kennel cough. If |
| him into a dog show, or enroll him into puppy | | | | pneumonia sets in antibiotics may be |
| school where there will be a lot of dogs | | | | necessary to clear the infection. At this |
| around it is probably a good idea to | | | | point you should not try to suppress the |
| vaccinate your Chihuahua against kennel | | | | cough. The dog or Chihuahua needs to get |
| cough. | | | | phlegm out of its system. Clearing this |
| | | | phlegm out is the key to recovery from the |
| Kennel cough is a highly contagious | | | | entire mess of infection. Therefore, do not |
| respiratory disease. The disease is thought | | | | give your dog any kind of cough suppressant. |
| to be caused by bacteria called Bordatella. | | | | The coughing clears the phlegm he needs to |
| In general kennel cough vaccines are not | | | | rid from his system. |
| necessary for house dog Chihuahuas that have | | | | |
| little contact with other dogs. The greatest | | | | Your little Chihuahua may become quite |
| risk is if your Chihuahua is in any of the | | | | uncomfortable as intense coughing can be |
| above mentioned situations. | | | | painful. You will need to limit activity to |
| | | | avoid "intense coughing episodes." If he |
| If you need quick protection ask your vet | | | | progresses to an infection, he probably will |
| about the intranasal (inhaled through the | | | | limit his own activity and will start to lie |
| nose) vaccine. This type is also best for | | | | around acting as if he is sick and at this |
| more immediate pet contact situations. The | | | | point he definitely is quite ill. |
| other type of kennel cough vaccines is an | | | | |
| injectable vaccine. | | | | If you have other dogs in the house, kennel |
| | | | cough is quite contagious and they will |
| What age is safe to vaccinate for kennel | | | | probably get kennel cough too. To try and |
| cough? You can vaccinate as early as 4 weeks | | | | avoid this you can separate everyone and wash |
| of age. Annual and sometimes bi-annual | | | | your hands after contact with each dog. Use |
| boosters are available and may be necessary. | | | | bleach to clean areas where your sick |
| This will depend upon your situation and your | | | | Chihuahua has been. |
| personal vet's protocol. | | | | |
| | | | Not all coughs are "kennel cough." If your |
| Symptoms of kennel cough: | | | | Chihuahua starts coughing and continues for |
| | | | more than 2 or 3 days without signs of |
| Â-Bouts of high pitched, honk-like | | | | improvement it is wise to take him to the vet |
| coughing for at least 2 weeks; | | | | for a definitive diagnosis. Also, if you see |
| | | | secondary signs of illness in your Chihuahua |
| Â-Some dogs may vomit that consists of | | | | such as lack of appetite, fever, blood in |
| large amounts of phlegm. | | | | phlegm or difficulty with breathing take him |
| | | | to the vet for an appropriate assessment and |
| With such a horrible sounding cough you would | | | | treatment as soon as possible. |
| think your little Chihuahua would be just | | | | |
| lying around all day and night. This is not | | | | It is important to not take your Chihuahua |
| the usual scenario with kennel cough. During | | | | into situations where there are other dogs if |
| the infection dogs generally stay active and | | | | he is diagnosed with kennel cough. All dogs |
| don't feel or behave "sick." | | | | are susceptible to the kennel cough. It is |
| | | | quite contagious. There is no one breed of |
| There is no cure for kennel cough. Prevention | | | | toy dog that is more susceptible to acquiring |
| is the best way to handle the disease. Kennel | | | | the kennel cough. It is therefore advisable |
| cough will usually clear up in a couple of | | | | to keep him home from puppy school and all |
| week even without medication. Dog owners | | | | other situations in which there will be any |
| which include the little Chihuahua owners | | | | other breed of dog around. |
| should be aware of possible secondary | | | | |
| infections, which may result in pneumonia. | | | | This article is FREE to publish with the |
| These secondary infections are the real | | | | resource box. |