My wife recently took my dog to the vets for his annual booster and kennel cough vaccine. As I am immunocompromised I am aware that there is a very small risk to myself as the kennel cough vaccine is live. I also understood (maybe incorrectly) that if my dog did not have the vaccine and were to subsequently get kennel cough then this would pose a greater risk.
In the past I have been advised to avoid being in the consulting room when he is being given the vaccine and not to travel in the car with him immediately afterwards as this would pose an increased risk so have always taken this advice seriously.
On this occasion the vet has advised that he shouldn’t be given the vaccine at all due to the risks involved and has said that as long as he isn’t going into boarding kennels then the risk of him getting kennel cough is minimal.
Even though we won’t be boarding him, he will still be around other dogs so could still theoretically get kennel cough so I am finding the situation very confusing and am unsure what decision to make.
Perhaps I am over thinking this as I guess the risk is low either way but I am very interested to know if others have had the same dilemma and what decision you have come to.
Regards
Elwyn
Written by
Hightower62
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Funny you should mention this, I had the same issue last week. The vet recommended that our new pup get the kennel cough vaccine in injection form. It's two separate injections, which I think is 4 weeks apart. This was the alternative to the live vaccine which was going to be a spray up her nose. You could always ask them about that? The vet said the live vaccine was not a good idea as it lingers for quite some time.
We are only getting it done for her because she might need to go to doggy day care occasionally.
Hi. I had the same problem some years ago. Am very immune suppressed and my vet, who is a friend, didn’t want this to be a problem for me and printed me off a paper by the manufacturers of the kennel cough. It said the problem was minimal and my consultant when asked said it was such a minimal risk as not to be worried. My dog has been vaccinated yearly with kennel cough and I’ve never had any problem.
Don’t be in with the dog when he has the stuff put up his nose and if you can bear it keep away from him as much as poss i.e.don’t cuddle him with your face next to his for 24 hrs and you’ll be fine. It would be far more risky for your pooch not to have the vaccination with all the attendant worry - not to mention the vet bills!
if you want your dog to have it with the precautions of before then tell your vet to do it, strange that they now won’t do it when they were ok with it before, especially as mtx just brings your immune system back to that it should be and doesn’t wipe it out completely.
I only knew this was a problem recently and never really put much thought in to it… I was with my dog when he got his vaccine this time and so was my husband. So I remembered literally as the vet was putting it to his nose and walked out the room!
I still drove the dog and my husband home afterwards and didn’t distance from the dog and I was fine.
I have been in the room for the last three years and I am on a DMard and biologic
I didn’t even know this was a thing! We got our dog vaccinated for kennel cough for the first time this year as she caught kennel cough twice from walking at the local park. I would rather have it done rather than her catching kennel cough again. German Shepherds should not be confined to the house for two weeks 🤦🏻♀️ Equally I’m around the children in my class each year when they have their live flu sniffs and have even had one on my lap while they had it done. So I would imagine the risk with the kennel cough is much lower with only one dog vs 30 children and I’ve always been fine. 😊
As an immunosuppressed vet ( on MTX and steroids)I administer these vaccines every day, and have never had any issues, we have a notice in the consulting room for owners to be aware it’s a live vaccine, personally I would only worry if you are severely immunosuppressed such as after organ transplant or cancer treatment.
I hadn’t realised this about the kennel cough vaccine but our (small but feisty) dog is so difficult to give it to that the vet usually takes her out to the hospital area so that one of the nurses can restrain her!
Hi, I’m extremely immunosuppressed, have caught covid 5 times in 6 months! I’ve been having our dogs vaccinated by injection for years and never given it a thought and have had no problems. I’m on Benepali & methotrexate. Sooner my dog not be at risk.
I agree, and thankfully I’ve just found another vet who will give him the vaccine by injection which is inactivated. Expensive but worth it .Happy days 😊
I have the same conversation with my vet every year and explain that am prepared to run the risk for my dogs health. The risk is greater to her ( if she didn't have the vaccination)than to me. Dogs can get kennel cough even if they don't go in boarding kennels, my previous dog did, and it was terrible to see.
Did your vet not offer the vaccine which is injected instead of given up the nose? This one is not a live vaccine so poses no risk to those of us that have compromised immune systems. My dog had to have first dose, then another one after 7 months, then yearly thereafter. Hope this is helpful 😊
Our vet said the vaccine was essential as we have two puppies. He said I could not be near dogs for half a day! Great excuse to go out for lunch with my friend. Kennel Cough can be fatal to dogs. But your health is more important as usual we have to make crazy choices no one else understands. Good luck🍀
Wow, didn’t even know this was a thing! Our dog has the kennel cough vaccine with the nasal spray. Our vet has never mentioned it’s a live vaccine, and I’ve always taken the dog for the vaccine, never taken any precautions, and always been fine. I’m on methotrxtrate. Will take more care in the future.
Hello, I've always had dogs and never given them kennel cough vaccines long before I was immunocompromised because my vet said it wasn't necessary unless they were going to a kennel that insisted on it and the vet advised to find an alternative kennel in this case. Mine just stay with family so it's not an issue. I know it's very infectious though because a neighbour for some reason known only to them took their dog for a walk and play with others in the village knowing he had kennel cough and they all got it. That's the only time I've encountered it though. Hope this helps and don't worry you're not being a bad parent to your dog X
I've never had problems with the dogs having the kennel cough injection when they get their annual jabs. We, humans, are both immunocompromised and wife has COPD to add to her list of bits falling off.Also allergies one being animal fur 😂 she bred and showed dogs when lots younger and we farmed and showed sheep, been blessed with having had horses and rehomed many dogs over the years.
Creams and antihistamines made any issues behave and the company, education and love of our animals far outweighed the negative side.
Kennel cough vaccines we do not have these days, as we do not board, so yes it could compromise the dogs health if they caught it, it is a nasty thing for them to get and can take a long time to clear up with benylin! Only vet drugs if you're very unlucky with a dog who, like us, is more vulnerable to respitary illness, pups or old dogs for example.
We only have two rescue left in our home now so the only risk of the girls getting KC is out walking rather than close contact with strays for example.
The kennel cough vaccine is also, as with all vet bills these days, very expensive overpriced some would suggest 😂, so you make your choice to match your lifestyle and do your best for your dog and yourself.
My wife is now 72 and has had her allergies and immunocompromised conditions most of her life the respitary ones getting worse with age of course, but 100s of animals later she's never had major problems apart from the usual running eyes, coughing, sneezing, hives etc 😂.
Try not to worry too much, don't have the KC unless you really need to, keep a bottle of kids benylin in back of your cupboard just to make you feel happier.
Make sure you keep all other vaccinations up to date of course there are some nasty diseases our beloved dogs don't want, same as our children.
My dogs are immunised and I’ve never had any issue with it… I’d never heard of it being an issue. I just looked it up and it says it’s a “theoretical risk” so you’ll be ok imo.
I'm a vet and have RA. On pred 5mg all the time, mtx and a biologic, at times I've been on 20mg pred and was told over covid I was vulnerable.I've asked about this to reps etc. Never a straight answer.
However, since my diagnosis 6 years ago I've been giving dogs kennel cough vaccines, the live up the nose one. That stuff often goes everywhere and I've never had a problem.
I agree don't go with the dogs to the vet and avoid too much close contact for a few days but otherwise I wouldn't worry.
Raw diets and dogs licking you is much higher risk.
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