Yesterday Ghost was gnawing away on a large knot of rawhide, and she started coughing a bit. The little fit lasted a minute or so, and then went away. We had assumed at the time that maybe she just caught a little chunk wrong, but she's coughed sporadically ever since. She'll cough a few times every 3-4 hours, but otherwise seems fine. She wasn't eating super enthusiastically when we first got to my parents house, but she'd had a lot of change and a LOT of exercise. Her energy level seems maybe a bit on the low side, but again, she's had a ton of exercise and she's been playing a lot with my parents dog (plus running the stairs now that she's not scared). She's current on all of her shots, but she spent a couple days in a boarding/daycare facility in Cleveland last week, has been to 2 dog parks since, and has been playing in WAY colder temperatures than she's used to. Today it didn't get out out of the teens all day. We're back in the car all day tomorrow from Chicago to Pensacola, so we will keep an eye on her all day. I see a trip to the vet on Wednesday though... Poor girl

Sounds like kennel cough, honestly all my dogs have gotten it at least once. All it takes is a few days of rest and they're fine. I don't do the vet for that, no reason to pump them full of meds just to take away a cough.

Yeah, if she was at a kennel, I bet it is just kennel cough too. She should be fine after a week or so. My mom takes in rescues all the time that have it and her dogs are so used to it now they've become immune to it. I think you can get a medicine for it that will make it less contagious, but I forget what med it is.

Aw poor Ghost. Hopefully it is just kennel cough and she will be fine in a few days.

get well soon ghost!

Well, we sat in the car all day and I *thought* we were going to make it through the day with no coughs, but then a few little coughs right around the 14 hour mark. She was running around excited when we got back to the house and coughed a little then, but otherwise seems just fine. I was pretty explicit with Aaron about making her stay quiet for the rest of the week, because he was all ready to bust out the Walky Dog and start doing that with her tomorrow.

We are supposed to start advanced obedience on Saturday, and it's next to impossible to make those classes up. Do you guys think it will be ok to take her by then? Lulu isn't coughing at all, btw...

I'm sure if she coughs more then once during class you'll either be ask to take her out or suffer the death to you stares.

SO... I'm pretty sure my pup has this. He's been coughing a few days, and then last night I got an email from his daycare that there is a new strain of kennel cough going around. I thought it was related to switching him back to raw and his throat was irritated from the bone, but then he got a crusty nose and goopey eyes, and the email pretty much sealed the deal. He's definitely more lethargic than normal inside the apartment, but then we get outside and he turns into his usual self. I've been using a harness instead of his collar to try and avoid irritating his throat and that seems to help. Anything else I can do to help my pup get better? Anything I need to look out for that would warrant a vet visit?

Tika had this for a while because of someone at the dog park. You just have to let it run it's course. It's like a cold. Given that you are a responsible pet parent, avoid taking him to daycare to further infect him or other dogs, or to petsmart, places like that. We quarantined Tika for 2 weeks when she got it. It will go away, a quick google should help with ideas. I think extreme exercise is not recommended.

Yeah, definitely avoiding other dogs as much as possible, and giving him lots of tlc.

Dakota had kennel cough when we adopted him from the shelter. We didn't treat it, just let it run it's course. Took about 2 weeks before he was completely cough free. We didn't have him around other dogs but walked him and let him have his daily free play like normal. We didn't restrict his activity at all because he just had so much energy to burn.

Thanks guys!