Kennel Cough

[June Jonigk]

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think personally, it would be more responsible to stay away from racing for at least 4 weeks (to be on the safe side). The problem we have is that some people are desperate to win points, and will race at all costs. I'm not talking about anyone in particular by the way, in case anyone thinks I'm getting at somebody - but everyone seems to be going on the two week thing

Sorry - I didn't make that very clear - what I meant was 4 weeks after they have stopped coughing, making about 5-6 weeks in all.

I agree Joanna - I have known dogs to drop down dead racing soon after a viral infection. Ours will have been off for 7 weeks before we go to the Gloucester open. I hope everyone else thinks twice before rushing back.

 

[Joanna]

think personally, it would be more responsible to stay away from racing for at least 4 weeks (to be on the safe side). The problem we have is that some people are desperate to win points, and will race at all costs. I'm not talking about anyone in particular by the way, in case anyone thinks I'm getting at somebody - but everyone seems to be going on the two week thing

Sorry - I didn't make that very clear - what I meant was 4 weeks after they have stopped coughing, making about 5-6 weeks in all.

I agree Joanna - I have known dogs to drop down dead racing soon after a viral infection. Ours will have been off for 7 weeks before we go to the Gloucester open. I hope everyone else thinks twice before rushing back.

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I think there is a world of difference between letting a dog have a gentle run around a field and the demands of a race track.

Sorry Dave, I hope you didn't think I was aiming any-thing at you, it's just that vets can give out advice without fully understanding the requirements of a racing dog. They should be OK after a couple of weeks, but personally, I would leave it another 2 weeks at least before I put mine down a track, longer if it was a heavy dose.

 

[Judy]

14 days after the last dog has coughed seems to be what most vets say, including the greyhound vets. But thats only when they aren't infectious anymore, not when they should be racing. I've never heard 10 days before. That might not even cover the incubation period

I'm not sure that stopping racing for any period of time would really do any good or even be practical. Kennel cough can be caught outside of racing too so when racing started up again we might well find that so does the kennel cough. Besides, there always seems to be some kennel cough around every year so there would never be any racing if we did that. It just seems as if this year, more dogs are getting it. Maybe because its a new strain. What we really need is for everyone to be responsible and stay away for a reasonable time when they've had it.

 

[telstar]

Sorry dave to hear your girls have the cough too my girls are much better no coughing since yesterday morning. Waiting to see if it has past on to my older whippets. Its not as bad as i thought just a dry cough no antibiotic,s needed letting nature take it,s corse :sweating: p.s does anybody have ernie fuffell,s contact number as vicky is worried about not being at racing to help thanks

 

[finalez]

Sorry to hear your dogs contracted K.C Dave.Been to Oxford racing today and it is the view of many I spoke to that racing be canceled over the next (few ) weeks,people differ as to how long though. I am glad to hear that a club "up north" has canceled (good on you) and I believe (please check) that andover club racing manager Dougie Hood has canceled thier next club meeting,but unless ALL clubs and opens do this it WILL keep going round.W.R.C.A please interviene and voice your opinion .Sue and Steve Evans tell me they have taken thier racing whippets to the vet for the vaccination spray and a check to see if they are harbouring K.C,I will be taking mine tuesday,good luck all x

 

[Strike Whippets]

Your right .....Unless ALL clubs and opens are cancelled for the next 4 - 6 weeks (due to some racers kennel size) its pointless with a good will jesture here and there ........but really kennel cough is around year after year, be it showing, racing etc .......so it can rear its head at any time EVEN if we did try to isolate it ( Just my opinion though :- " )

 

[Darcia]

I share everyone else's concerns but do not see how stopping racing for a set amount of time will help anything, we chose not to run our boys today as we have been at Weyhill the last two weeks and wanted to allow time for anything to develop if it is going to develop (lets hope not, no signs at the moment), individual owners have to make up their own minds but there is nothing to say that one of my boys may pick it up when I take them out for a walk tommorow or the day after tommorow, or the day after that. Thoughtfullness on the part of the owners is what IMHO is needed not blanket bans.

 

[Judy]

This is true. There is always some of it about every year. I can remember last year we had some cancellations for Gloucester's second open due to kennel cough.

 

[conway]

fingers crossed no coughing yesterday and none today :sweating:

 

[Joanna]

I'll keep every-thing crossed for your girls Dave, in a way, it is best to get it over with now.So early in the season and plenty of time for a crashing Conway come-back :huggles: :thumbsup:

 

[conway]

I'll keep every-thing crossed for your girls Dave, in a way, it is best to get it over with now.So early in the season and plenty of time for a crashing Conway come-back :huggles:   :thumbsup:

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:huggles: thanks joanna :huggles:

 

[Judy]

Thats good news Dave Abbey & Penny didn't cough for long then.

 

[conway]

Thats good news Dave    Abbey & Penny didn't cough for long then.

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they had the vac on tues and the vets told us they might show signs of a cough in the next few days, as they only coughed a few times in a day hopfully the vet is right, but they are all going for tests to get the all clear before we return. :sweating:

 

[Joanna]

Without wanting to panic any-one...I am just off to the vet with Fynn! I think he has kennel cough. He is kecking like some-thing is stuck in his throat and has been up in the night and left foamy white blobs on the landing. I will confirm later here if we get a positive diagnosis, and will contact the club organisers we ran with at the week-end This started last night, and that is 8 days after going to the Weyhill Open. I am presuming Dave's dogs caught it the week before or the one prior, but it is obviously being transmitted through the Open circuit.

Should we cancel racing for a month? I am also most concerned about all the puppies that have been at these meetings............Please God they are all OK

 

[Paula Roberts]

Fingers Crossed for Fynn, Joanna :luck:

 

[Mark Roberts]

Good Luck Joanna, it's realy doing the rounds at the moment.

Thats why were not accepting runners from outside our club that may have run at an infected club/Open/Champs in the hope we can avoid our club dogs getting it. (but the best layed plans?)

 

[Joanna]

Archie has just coughed and brought his breakfast up.....................I'll take them both!

 

[June Jonigk]

Joanna, so sorry to hear your dogs are coughing - what you describe is exactly what our dogs were doing, and as happened to us, exactly 8 days after exposure to others.

I have heard that the Independent are thinking of cancelling their open due to lack of entries - it wouldn't be a bad idea as just one week without racing should be enough for all dogs who are incubating the cough to show signs, and there are empty dates later in the year when they might get a better entry. The Northern and Andover have responsibly cancelled club racing - not sure about anyone else.

If all dogs that have had the cough are kept away from racing for a sufficient time, this cough should die out.

:luck: Good luck to all owners and dogs who have contrated kennel cough. It is disappointing to have to miss a part of the racing season, but SO important that the dogs are not brought back too early.

On a brighter side Joanna, Archie and Fynn are young and fit, so apart from feeling a bit miffed that they have to keep coughing, they should be over it pretty quickly. From my personal experience I think it is detrimental for them to receive antibiotics, as I'm pretty sure this strain is viral. Antibiotics weaken the immune system, and our one boy who had antibiotics took almost twice as long to stop coughing as the others who didn't.

 

[Joanna]

Thanks June,

We have a positive diagnosis. They seem fine, but i am more worried for the oldies and puppies we have encountered. I think cancelling racing until 13th will be the only way to stop reinfecting as you say. Shame for the organisers, but as it is so rife, what else can you do?

 

[kim & Tilly]

Thanks June,We have a positive diagnosis. They seem fine, but i am more worried for the oldies and puppies we have encountered. I think cancelling racing until 13th will be the only way to stop reinfecting as you say. Shame for the organisers, but as it is so rife, what else can you do?

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Were you at south cotswold at the weekend??