[woxuhusu]

Hello

I have a quick question about possible kennel cough. Can dogs be infected with kennel cough and only cough in the morning? He only coughs first thing after waking and then coughs up thick white foamy mucus on/off for 20 minutes. It sounds like he is trying to bring up mucus. He doesn't cough at any other time of the day. He has had the K.C vaccine, so wondering if it is a mild case. He went to the vets last Friday and given the all clear as he wasn't coughing at that time.

He's been scratching quite a bit, so just wondering if it is allergy related.

Thank you

 

[DaySleepers]

Kennel cough is a bit like flu in humans - there's lots of different strains out there, and the vaccine only protects against the most common ones. Dogs can still get the strains they're vaccinated against as well, but generally will have a much milder and shorter-lived illness.

That being said, coughing could definitely also be allergy related, or a different respiratory illness than KC, or an injury in his throat, etc. I strongly suggest calling your vet and describing how his symptoms have changed since you were there last, and they'll advise whether he needs further diagnostics or if it's safe to wait and see if it improves. Good luck!

 

[storyist]

My experience with kennel cough was that healthy dogs that weren't under stress either didn't get when exposed or got very mild cases. The dogs that were really sick were foster dogs from shelters. They'd come out without symptoms then get very sick in the foster home. My own dogs only got it once in spite of that, and none of them were sick enough that I'd have known it except by that time I recognized that foamy white product of a cough. I don't think they only coughed in the morning, but it wouldn't surprise me if they only had one spell a day.

As Daysleepers said, you should describe what's happening to your vet and see what they say.