HEALTH QUESTION- HELP- Breeding a dog w/supposed kennel cough - Page 1

Just my luck...my intended stud came down w/some kind of URI. The vet put him on Doxy. He has 5 days left (on the Doxy, not to live, lol). She is ready now. He had other bloodwork done and nothing came up abnormal...so the diagnosis was kennel cough/URI. I know I'm paranoid about health, but there are things that I wouldn't worry about normally that can be a big deal in pregnancy. This dog had a very odd life and was exposed to many bizarre things but not many "normal" things like kennel cough, so I'm not entirely shocked he got it at his age (6). 

What would you do? Would you breed to a dog on Doxy? Would you expose a bitch to a dog on antibiotics? If anyone's done this (I know someone's done it...but maybe not someone answering) , what was the outcome? A lot of people run males on Doxy prior to breeding, but for repro. issues not URI. I don't like antibiotics for KC, really, as I don't see where they're that effective. However, there is evidence that stillborn pups can result from exposure to infections like this...if that's what it is. I have my doubts, as he has gotten a lot better in just a few days, making me wonder if it's not bacterial in nature, and possibly cured by the Doxy.  I guess I'm really just looking for experiences. I'm disappointed. 

Jenni,
Im not sure this is the answer you were looking for, but I will give you my experience with Kennel Cough and hopefully someone will respond more directly to your question.

I have been in the breed for many years, and I never experienced KC. Recently I purchased a puppy from a reputable breeder. When we picked up the puppy,
he had a slight hacking cough, like one does when putting too much pressure on the throat with a collar. I was told by the breeder it had just started and it
was probably URI, nothing that antibiotics couldn't take care of. Being naive and no experience to KC, I believed that breeder. I had done research on it but never 
actually experienced it.  This puppy we had gotten was taken to the vet the next day because the cough had gotten progressively worse over night.  He was diagnosed with an URI AND KC. put on antibiotics and an injection.  I was told that the puppy had to be isolated for up to 3 months  because although the symptoms were gone and he was cured of the KC, he was still a carrier for at least 3 months after being diagnosed.
So from my experience I would say that the bitch being bred could be at risk for getting it also from the male that has it if it is within the 3 months time.

Now on another note, I did have a bitch in whelp at that time, that delivered her litter 10 days early. They were all born dead.  The vet says that it probably wasn't because of the possibility of be exposed to KC. She never showed signs of have contacted it.  She was not in close contact with the puppy that had KC.  She was examined and seemed normal in everyway and there was no signs of complications that coudl have caused the litter to be born early. She had 2 previous litters, her most recent was last year at this same time. She had a BC/VC done before breeding, just as the male had his necessary health screening done also.

So does any one have experience with this. Hopefully someone will respond now.
Hopefully this will get the responses rolling now.

I would ask your vet or do some research concerning the effect that the Doxycycline can have on the dog for reproductive purposes. I believe that I have read it can cause problems with females, but, not sure about male sterility issues. 

Don't be disappointed, find another stud, or wait for her next cycle, why expose your girl to that?Maybe AI is an option , if you definitely want that stud; do be thankful the stud owner told you about the KC. Good luck.

I had a bitch contract KC as I went to a training place that had many germs, and brought it home to her, she was 3 weeks away from whelping, she was to have a very large litter. long story short, only two pups survived.  I am expecting to have another litter born later this month, I have put off going to all dog shows and training until the pups are born, lesson learned for me.
  You are lucky enough to be forewarned from the studs owner and smart enough to ask this question, the ball is in your court, good luck with the info!

Here are my two pups that survived, they are doing great, with all that I and the pups mom went through, I would not wish it on my worst enemy.

Pup Roxy



Pup Sophie

 

There is a new DNA test that will determine what the dog has regarding virus or bacterial it only takes a couple days for results from antecht see if they would be willing to run it if it come back Neg than you would be good to go

I don't get as freaked out about KC as many do, don't vaccinate against it unless I'm forced to and in 40 years I've never had a dog with it. To me it's nuisance disease, most cases don't even need to be treated and meds don't escalate the recovery time. A month with, a month without drugs for KC to run its course.  Vets know this, they dispense meds for KC to appease their clients.

If the concern is the health of the stud dog and/or what effect the meds will have on his sperm quality or the puppies, that would not be a concern for me. I'd do the the breeding. If the concern is that the bitch could contract KC from the stud dog, I think that is a valid concern and a personal judgement call. If I had a pg bitch with uncomplicated KC I myself would let it run it's course and not use any medication including cough syrup. It won't cause any harm to the fetuses.  If the case becomes complicated, then there are meds that can be used that will not cross the placental barrier.If this bitch has been to training clases, etc there is a good chance that she has already been exposed to the bacteria that has caused the URI and has an aquired immunity.

KC is a not a specific disease. It is a collective term used to identify a throat infection caused by many different bacteria and viruses. The test/s sited here will only detect some of the bacteria involved, most likely the common ones that we vaccinate against. I think it would be possible to get a negative test result and still have a dog with a contagious localized URI. I'd probably save my money on that.

Mirasmom, what makes you so sure that those puppies died as a result of kennel cough?

I had a lab, took him to a vet for a well check. The next day he started this atrocious, hacking cough, I thought he would die. Much more than just a nuisance in my book! Vet treatment was free as he picked it up from his office, and yes, it was very quick for him to be sick. I never want to hear the sound of that cough ever again.