My Dog has kennel cough, is she contagious?
My family and I just got our first foster dog and I have a few questions…
She has Kennel Cough but has been on anti-biotics for 3 days already. Is she still contagious?
AND… She has heart worm, too… She’s already had her first treatment and I know I have to keep her quiet but she REALLY smells like shelter (ew). Would it be too much for her if we bathed her? Or took her to a place to be groomed (We’d probably just bathe her ourselves depending on the kennel cough answers.)? We just got her and I don’t know how she reacts to water and I don’t want her to get too excited… Please help? (plus any fostering tips would be helpful too 
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Tagged with: anti biotics • heart worm • Kennel Cough Treatment
Filed under: Kennel Cough Treatment
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she is contagious for 10-20 days or if still exhibiting symptoms … no nose-to-nose contact with other dogs … bath her no problem … you could not bring her to a groomer until the kennel cough is completely gone …
Any dog with Kennel Cough is contagious to other dogs without it. You should probably bathe her yourself to prevent spreading of Kennel Cough. May I ask, why do you have to keep her quiet?
Absolutely!! Even after the symptoms have stopped she can still pass it on although it’s mainly spread via the phlegm that’s coughed up. Check with your vet to be sure, but you should not take her anywhere near other dogs at this time. The antibiotics won’t cure the cough because KC is a virus. Vets in the UK at the moment are routinely treating dogs with KC with antibiotics to prevent it from developing into pneumonia.
Don’t take her anywhere near a groomer, and to be honest, I’d not hit her with bathing either, until you get her settled, and over all this. You could sponge her down if she’s that bad – stressing her is not what she needs if she has heartworm either. Not many dogs enjoy being bathed. To be honest, I think it’s too bad the Shelter released her with KC but I guess they just wanted her out of there.
Add – To the answer above, it’s extremely dangerous to stress a dog who has heartworm, until the treatment has had a chance to be effective. This is why she needs to be kept quiet.
kennel cough is extremely contagious to other dogs so make sure you keep her away from other animals. it isnt contagious to humans though. it should be fine it you bathe her with dog shampoo but dont take her to be groomed because that could spread the kennel cough. if you try to bathe her, start out with a small amount of water and slowly increase during the bath untill you get to a normal amount to see how she reacts to the water. continue on the heart worm medicine like directed.
here are some tips: http://gamerlimit.com/files/2009/07/n64_princess_peach_casemod_photo4.jpg
She should be isolated from other dogs until she’s finished her course of antibiotics & has been cleared by your vet. You shouldn’t have to restrict her activity because of kennel cough either. As far as bathing her is concerned, I’d save that question for your vet. He’s seen her & knows how bad her infection is
Do NOT take her to a professional groomer if she still has the symptoms of kennel cough. She probably is still contagious.
As for bathing her, ask your vet first. I wouldn’t think it would be a problem but I’ve never had a dog with heart worms so I am not sure about that. If you are scared to bathe her right now there are "waterless bath" products that you can buy. You spray them on and then brush the dog. That may help with the smell.