Dogs, Kennel Cough And Guinea Pigs - An Important Consideration.

[Abi_nurse]

I thought I should put this piece of information out there to all owners who have both guinea pigs and dogs in the household or dogs who regularly visit.

I found out a few months ago that dogs who have a kennel cough vaccination will shed bordatella for 3 days. This means that if your being a responsible owner in vaccinating your dog then you should ensure that they should have no contact with the guinea pigs and you should make sure you wash hands between handling your dog and the piggies. The bacteria is shed in the air when your dog breaths out and emits lung secretions so keeping them in a separate room should be adequate along with cleaning dog toys/bowls that could come in contact with piggies thoroughly.

Bordatella is a potentially lethal infection that can affect your guinea pigs respiratory system. Rabbits will carry this bacteria often without symptoms too, another reason not to mix rabbits and piggies. Dogs don't readily shed the bacteria unless they are suffering for kennel cough or been recently vaccinated.

Hope this proves useful information for dog/piggie owners.

x.

 

[helen105281]

Thanks for the information Abi.

 

[juls65]

very informative

 

[Flutterby]

I did not know this, and my two are due their Kennel cough vaccines soon too! Thanks for letting us know!

 

[Jennifer D]

Yikes! Good information as I have dealt with a lot of kennel cough in dogs in the past! Just a note too- when you vaccinate for bortadella, it's not a guarantee that your dog will not get kennel cough as there are so many different strains of the bacteria. My dogs have their vaccinations and yet, when I sent them both in for boarding, one of them came out with kennel cough Luckily, it's usually an easy fix!

 

[Abi_nurse]

Yes that's right. The kc vacc only does bordatella bronchospetica, which is one of many strains of kennel cough they can contract.

It was very interesting to find this out. I'm putting it in all my guinea pig lectures now to let vet professionals and owners know.

x

 

[Jennifer D]

I thought I should put this piece of information out there to all owners who have both guinea pigs and dogs in the household or dogs who regularly visit.

I found out a few months ago that dogs who have a kennel cough vaccination will [you]shed bordatella for 3 days.[/you] This means that if your being a responsible owner in vaccinating your dog then you should ensure that they should have no contact with the guinea pigs and you should make sure you wash hands between handling your dog and the piggies. The bacteria is shed in the air your dog breaths out and lung secretions so keeping them in a separate room should be adequate along with cleaning dog toys/bowls well of in contact with piggies.

Bordatella is a potentially lethal infection that can effect your guinea pigs respiratory system. Rabbits will carry this bacteria often without symptoms too, another reason not to mix rabbits and piggies. Dogs don't readily shed the bacteria unless they are suffering for kennel cough or been recently vaccinated.

Hope this proves useful information for dog/piggie owners.

x.

Do you know if what rabbit owners refer to as "snuffles" is actually rabbit Bortadella?

 

[Abi_nurse]

Yeah, it's either bordatella or a residing pasturella infection which guinea pigs can also have.

x

 

[GPTV]

Is the kennel cough vaccine included in the general annual booster jabs given? or is it requested as a completely separate jab if going into boarding kennels etc? I'm thinking its a separate vaccination? is that right?

Thankyou

 

[doglovinpiggylover]

thanks for this. Heidi & Jet are due their annual boosters in Jan, is this what you mean?

 

[Jennifer D]

thanks for this. Heidi & Jet are due their annual boosters in Jan, is this what you mean?

The annual boosters are usually rabies and distemper although one of them is good for 3 years now... I can't remember which. Usually I have to ask specifically for the bortadella to be done as well- with the vets here it isn't included in their annual shots unless you specifically ask. With my vet, I can either have it administered nasally or intravenous. I think it usually costs me around 30 dollars extra. I only started to have them vaccinated when I put them into kennels (which has only happened twice since). Many of the dogs at the kennel I worked at picked up kennel cough during the Christmas season but it's (for the most part) like a common cold and dogs get over it after a few weeks with some only needing a treatment of a little bit of honey to soothe the throat.. Some cases can be bad though and I imagine it depends on the health of your dog. If your dog is going to be kennelled, it's best to get them the vaccine at least 14 days before they go to the kennel.

 

[Lilly]

Thank you @Abi_nurse. This is indeed good to know as my pooch gets a C5 every year which includes the kennel cough thingy. And she also spends sofa time with the piggies so we've obviously been very lucky in the past. Her next one is due in February & no getting near the pigs for a week!

 

[piglet_and_rogers_mama]

Good information! My dog is actually getting shots tomorrow, though I don't know which ones exactly. Thanks!

 

[Abi_nurse]

Is the kennel cough vaccine included in the general annual booster jabs given? or is it requested as a completely separate jab if going into boarding kennels etc? I'm thinking its a separate vaccination? is that right?

Thankyou

thanks for this. Heidi & Jet are due their annual boosters in Jan, is this what you mean?

Here in the uk the normal general vaccinations only include - distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, and several strains of leptospirosis. The kennel cough vaccine is an intranasal vaccination which is an extra that some dog owners wish to have though it isn't a must. So yes it's an extra here in England. Other countries you will have to ask or some dog owners will already know. Different vaccines are different so if your not from the uk check with the vet to see if they do shed the bordatella as my knowledge only goes for the uk based intranasal vaccines.

x

 

[Wiebke]

I am stickying this in our Caring for an ill piggy section so the thread is easily accessible for future reference. @Abi_nurse

 

[Lilly]

@Abi_nurse my pooch went in for her annual C5 vaccination today which is for Parvovirus, Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza & Bordatella bronchiseptica so I did ask about the bordatella issue. Apparently not a problem here as the C5 is given via 2 intravenous injections. But thanks for the heads up as appreciate having learnt something new.

 

[Abi_nurse]

Thanks for the info. As I'm in the uk, we only tend to use the intranasal (spray up the nose) vaccine for the kennel cough so it's perhaps different with the injectable.

x