# Kennel Cough and Bunnies?



## lalena2148 (Jul 18, 2009)

Hi all. Well,my poor pup Sydney was just diagnosed with Kennel Cough. She was on antibiotics since last Friday (a week ago) w/ a mild case of Bordatella (basic Kennel Cough) but last night it became worse. So, like a good mommy, I took her to the vet this morning and she had it full on. She's on another antibiotic and a cough suppressant. But, thankfully, no pneumonia. Thank god.

My question is, the bunnies are in the room next to where Sydney rests: could bunnies catch Kennel Cough? I'm not sure if it's contagious amongst other animals. I will probably check with the vet as well. Right now, I'm sanitizing my hands before interaction w/ any of the animals. 

Just wondering if any of you smart people have heard of such a thing.

Thanks!


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## Flashy (Jul 18, 2009)

I believe that rabbits can get Bordatella, both in a doormant form and as an active infection but know no more than that. I'm sure someone else knowledgable will be able to give you more advice.


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## killertheturtle (Jul 18, 2009)

Kennel cough is broad term that is used in all animals that get some type of "kennel cough" (i.e. respiratory distress caused by being around many animals of the same species, like a kennel, or puppy mill, etc.).
So rabbits do get kennel cough, however, I believe rabbit kennel cough is a different type of infection than kennel cough in dogs.
From a google search, I found a lot of "pasteurella multocida" for rabbits and with dogs I found a lot of "Bordetella bronchiseptica."

I don't *think* your rabbits can catch your dog's kennel cough. However, I would continue with washing hands (even though the infection is air borne, but it may help a little) and monitoring them closely. 
Can you call your vet to ask about this?


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## JadeIcing (Jul 18, 2009)

Bunnies can get it... This bunny tested positive. Nasal Discharge and Motion Sicknessand there is this thread... Nasal Discharge and Motion Sickness


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## lalena2148 (Jul 18, 2009)

Well they do think this is Bordatella in the dog.

I did call the rabbit vet however. He's going to call back after 3pm. I checked their noses and such, after THOROUGHLY washing my hands, and there is no discharge. Hazel's eye is goopy again, but that is a common prob for her when she sheds like she is shedding. I'm treating it with meds I have from the last vet visit for her eye.

They're in separate rooms and have had no direct contact. The only way they've been close is walking by them to go outside but there was still a good 3 feet and that was before she started coughing.

I'm really hoping all buns will be ok. :nerves1


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## Flashy (Jul 18, 2009)

I wonder if the dog and rabbit Bordatella strains are different.

You will have to quaratine your dog until you know for sure, including seeing him after the rabbits, changing clothes (or I used to 'wear' bin liners when dealing with an animal in quaratine), thorough hand washing, and think of the invisibles and how they can pass on.


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## Flashy (Jul 18, 2009)

http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/bordatella.htm It sounds like your dog is going to be 'contagious' for sometime yet in terms of excreting it.


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## lalena2148 (Jul 18, 2009)

*Flashy wrote: *


> I wonder if the dog and rabbit Bordatella strains are different.
> 
> You will have to quaratine your dog until you know for sure, including seeing him after the rabbits, changing clothes (or I used to 'wear' bin liners when dealing with an animal in quaratine), thorough hand washing, and think of the invisibles and how they can pass on.


You mean change clothes everytime I have to deal with the rabbits? That's really impossible. I have to check on Latte and Hazel alot. 

The bunny room had been deep cleaned because of flies, so they were moved into the family room which is next to where Sydney is. There's a lot of airway between them but it's open. Hopefully the vet will put them on something as a precautionary measure just to be safe.


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## Flashy (Jul 18, 2009)

It's just how I would suggest someone quarantines.

You're in a very difficult position and I do feel for you. It's not an easy situation to deal with at all.


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## lalena2148 (Jul 18, 2009)

*Flashy wrote: *


> It's just how I would suggest someone quarantines.
> 
> You're in a very difficult position and I do feel for you. It's not an easy situation to deal with at all.


Oh, no I understand Flashy. Thank you for the advice. I'm most concerned about Latte, who had an inner ear infection which turned into Head Tilt 2 years ago. His tilt is barely noticeable and I'd like to keep it that way. Hazel gets a goopy eye and Drizzle...when he's stressed he starts going into stasis. Mom to the rescue!

I hope this vet can point me in the right direction. Right now, I'm finishing my deep clean of the bunny room so I can move them back in there. I have also Lysoled the room (with a fan pointed towards the window and a window fan blowing air out) so I'm HOPING that they'll be ok. 

This is getting quite ridiculous here. 

So far, no discharge or wheezing (or sneezing) from the bunnies so that's good. Might get them dandelion greens to up their immune system. And I have plenty of benebac for all animals.

EDIT: the buns were NOT in the room when I Lysoled it. FYI. I read that and was like...OMG, I'm horrible! lol.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 18, 2009)

http://www.kennelcoughindogs.com/
http://ezinearticles.com/?Kennel-Cough-in-Dogs---How-Worse-Can-it-Get?&id=1625194

It does cross species so it would be contagious 
to what degree ; I don't know 
At this point however they would already be exposed through the air. 
I would continue to take precautions


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## lalena2148 (Jul 18, 2009)

*angieluv wrote: *


> http://www.kennelcoughindogs.com/
> http://ezinearticles.com/?Kennel-Cough-in-Dogs---How-Worse-Can-it-Get?&id=1625194
> 
> It does cross species so it would be contagious
> ...


Yeah the vet just called too. So, yeah...funtimes.

I deep, DEEP cleaned their room (I had to get rid of flies so they were moved out to the other room that was open to Sydney's breathing. She hardly ever ventured there and never came in contact w/ the rabbits but still. :sigh: They are now in their newly scrubbed, newly disinfected room.

Here's hoping...

IfI notice anything, they told me to bring one in and they will get a prescription ready for each of them once they know what bacteria is causing it.

So far, everybunny looks ok.


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## pamnock (Jul 18, 2009)

Keep in mind that the rabbits may be asymptomatic Bordatella carriers and may have infected the puppy.

Pam


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## Maureen Las (Jul 18, 2009)

*pamnock wrote: *


> Keep in mind that the rabbits may be asymptomatic Bordatella carriers and may have infected the puppy.
> 
> Pam


Wow ...never thought of that...........


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## lalena2148 (Jul 19, 2009)

*angieluv wrote: *


> *pamnock wrote: *
> 
> 
> > Keep in mind that the rabbits may be asymptomatic Bordatella carriers and may have infected the puppy.
> ...


You know, I think the first vet I went to for the first free puppy visit might have said that. In that case, the bunnies would be fine, right? If they were the carriers? And they wouldn't show any symptoms, correct?

So far, no issues with the bunnies. They are in their clean room with a fan in the window blowing out and a rolled up plastic sheet under the french doors of their room. 

I know, I know...too much? I just don't want the puppy to get out of her area and put her nose under the door and sneeze. I don't think it'll be a problem but...better safe than sorry. Plus, with Latte already having had Head Tilt from an inner ear infection once, I am overly cautious.

Puppy is doing a little better. A steam shower helped. We put a shower soother (non medicated) in the floor of the tub. Also got her a little menthol and eucalyptus fan at night. Put it in the room where her cage is. Her meds seem to be helping, especially at night.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 19, 2009)

If the bunnies were all carriers then they wouldn't get it; if one was a carrier and they have been together for awhile then the others would probably have gotten it by now, 

anyway you are doing what you can 

how old is the puppy and is he a new dog for you ?

I am going to move this to the Infirmary


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## lalena2148 (Jul 19, 2009)

*angieluv wrote: *


> If the bunnies were all carriers then they wouldn't get it; if one was a carrier and they have been together for awhile then the others would probably have gotten it by now,
> 
> anyway you are doing what you can
> 
> ...



Thank you for moving it. 

Ok, regarding them being carriers, that's what I was thinking. The 3 bunnies have all been in the same room near each other for 2 years now, so yeah, if one had it then they all would by now I would think.

Sydney (the puppy) is 12 weeks old. I just adopted her from a local shelter 7-7-09. She was a transport dog from So. IL. She was in a kill shelter and this wonderful no-kill shelter in Homer Glen, IL called TLC Animal Shelter took her in. The place is clean and wonderful, they even gave me her first round of meds because she ended up being sick for free. Poor thing was given up by her original owners because she 'required too much attention.' She was covered with fleas. My poor baby.

I found out on 7-10-09 that she was sick and my vetimmediately started a round of Clavamox (125mg, 2x a day, 14 days). After a week, she was worse. It had started as just sneezing, now it's full-blown hacking coughs, sometimes with clear phlegm. Groos. So, now she's on Clavamox and another antibiotic plus a cough suppressant. I'm also doing steam showers, vaporizer, heating pad for a while on her back (set to low when she's on my lap during the day), and giving her Benebac or plain yogurt mixed in her food. Sometimes she just won't take the Benebac. I'm exhausted already.

On top of that, I'm checking the buns through the french doors most of the day. I'm trying as much as I can not to stress them out by prodding them too much.

And now I'm getting sick. I think I have a sinus infection again. Joy of joys.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 19, 2009)

We have a few dogs at our shelter with kennel cough right now

the shelter is very good and extremely clean 

I am fairly sure that this is your puppy's issue and not the rabbits so I would try to disinfect yourself as best you can when going from room to room. 
in our shelter we have a dish pan of disinfectant that we actually step in when we go in and leave the isolation room with the sick dogs 

You could just take off shoes to go in one room and put them on to go into another. 
I believe we have had shelter dogs with kennel cough in isolation and rabbits in another room and the rabbits didn't get anything. of courseyour home is closer quarters and is not set up for a quarrantine but do the best that you can.


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## pamnock (Jul 19, 2009)

*angieluv wrote: *


> If the bunnies were all carriers then they wouldn't get it; if one was a carrier and they have been together for awhile then the others would probably have gotten it by now,




Not necessarily. The puppy would be more likely to contract the illness since its age makes it more susceptible. The other rabbits may or may not be carriers.

However, unless the puppy and rabbits are housed in close proximity, I would think that the rabbits transmitting Bordetella to the puppy is not the most likely scenario. Only if problems continue would I have the rabbits tested. 

I would also be sure to have the puppy vaccinated.

Pam


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## lalena2148 (Jul 19, 2009)

*pamnock wrote: *


> *angieluv wrote: *
> 
> 
> > If the bunnies were all carriers then they wouldn't get it; if one was a carrier and they have been together for awhile then the others would probably have gotten it by now,
> ...



The bunnies were in the other room but the air was open between them. However, I do believe she did get it from the shelter. From what I've been reading, Bordatella takes a while to show up. She was sneezing the day after I got her.

Unfortunately, I wasn't too careful, except with the washing of my hands before she started the cough. The dog would have to walk by them, about 3 feet away, but she would sneeze in the same room.

Hazel was making noises this morning...but she's a LOUD Dutch bunny so it's hard to tell if she's sick or now. Seems uninterested in her food right now, but she could be full. Idk. I'll check on her eating soon. She seems just as fiesty though.

Thanks angieluv about the shoe suggestion. I've put a pair of slipons in my office next to the bunny room. I'm sprayin the hall with lysol and my shoes with lysol as well. And then I'm going into the bunny room. 

For some reason, I didn't think of shoes as being bad this morning and I walked into their room after a walk w/ her. I've just clorox anywhere'd their floor so hopefully it killed anything. Idk. Now I"M sick and on medicine.

But, I will keep a close eye on Hazel and try to make an appt for Tues. morning if she seems like she is coming down with something.


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## lalena2148 (Jul 19, 2009)

*pamnock wrote: *


> Not necessarily. The puppy would be more likely to contract the illness since its age makes it more susceptible. The other rabbits may or may not be carriers.


If the rabbits were carriers, regardless of the fact that Sydney didn't get it from them, they may not get it, correct? Unless it's a diff strand of Bordatella.

And as far as getting her vaccinated, I heard once they get it once that they may never get it again. Should I just ere on the side of caution and get her one?

Thanks for everyone's help. It's making me a feel a little less stressed. A little less is better than my full blown freak out fest. lol


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## pamnock (Jul 19, 2009)

*lalena2148 wrote: *


> However, I do believe she did get it from the shelter. From what I've been reading, Bordatella takes a while to show up. She was sneezing the day after I got her.



The shelter would have been the most likely place to have picked it up.

Pam


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## lalena2148 (Jul 19, 2009)

*pamnock wrote: *


> *lalena2148 wrote: *
> 
> 
> > However, I do believe she did get it from the shelter. From what I've been reading, Bordatella takes a while to show up. She was sneezing the day after I got her.
> ...


Yeah and the prob was the day I adopted her, she had just gotten in from a kill shelter in So. Illinois no more than an hour before. Who knows what the shelter was like down there. I'm sure the trip took a toll on her immune system as well. Poor thing.


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## tonyshuman (Jul 20, 2009)

You can also cover your clothes with garbage bags when you visit either the rabbits or the puppy, or wear one of those work coveralls with one of them to cut down on spreading.

Good luck with your pup, and I hope the bunnies don't get it.


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## lalena2148 (Jul 20, 2009)

*tonyshuman wrote: *


> You can also cover your clothes with garbage bags when you visit either the rabbits or the puppy, or wear one of those work coveralls with one of them to cut down on spreading.
> 
> Good luck with your pup, and I hope the bunnies don't get it.


You mean just like overalls? Hmmm...never really thought of that.

What I've been doing is taking care of the bunnies last thing at night after I shower and change (puppy is already in her crate) and first thing in the morning (after I change and before the puppy). When I need to get to them fast, I Lysol my shoes (ballet flats), wash my hands with antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer and put on my robe (floor length). I spray the robe with Lysol before I put it on (I let it set in a little bit so it's not harmful). It stinks but I think it helps. So, far, so good with the bunnies. Fingers crossed.

EDIT: I also had bought a lot of paintdrop clothes because I was going to paint my office before all this happened. I use one rolled up on the bottom of their door to block any bad stuff from getting in as much as possible. Sydney can't go by their room at all, but just in case she tries to break out, she won't be able to sneeze under the door.


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## Maureen Las (Jul 20, 2009)

:goodjobkeep it up ....


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