Last Updated on 05/12/2020 by Dochlaggie. Post first published on March 11, 2019.
It’s common to want to protect your Pomeranian against kennel cough by vaccinating him. However, the kennel cough part of that vaccine is UNSAFE for Poms.
Kennel cough (aka Bordetella) is incredibly contagious with horrendous complications that can sometimes lead to pneumonia. Humans spread the common cold incredibly fast and at a comparable speed at which the kennel cough spreads in the canine world, according to numerous vets.
Pomeranian owners kick up a huge fuss over vaccines but, if your dog is young and healthy, kennel cough is more annoying than a problem. The kennel cough sound a dog makes is awful – coughing, hacking and choking.
It’s a “so-called self-limiting” problem, meaning it doesn’t get worse and generally won’t need a complicated treatment plan. In rare cases, young puppies or dogs of an advanced age may require extra attention if they develop complications.
It’s human nature to want to keep your dog healthy (and all other dogs, for that matter) so, in the same way you trust your own human doctor to care for you, a vet is entrusted with your dog’s health.
Before giving your Pom any vaccines, ask these questions:
- How safe is the vaccine?
- Will it be effective?
- How dangerous is kennel cough?
- How dangerous to your dog is the disease compared to the vaccine?
- Are yearly bordetella vaccinations really necessary for my dog?
- Can a dog die from kennel cough How is it treated?
- Are yearly bordetella vaccinations really necessary for my dog?
Here are some facts you should know before deciding if the vaccine for kennel cough is the ideal option for your Pomeranian.
Kennel Cough Vaccine – Vital Information You Need To Know
Kennel Cough (aka Bordetella) is a vaccine most people associated with your dog will advise you is essential (e.g. your groomer, vet, training facility staff, boarding kennel staff and people at doggie day care). It’s a routine requirement for dogs that spend any time around other dogs (and that’s virtually every dog).
It’s amazing that there’s actually a vaccine for this condition. As a self-limiting disease, the danger to your canine friend is similar to the common cold’s danger to you.
However, boarding kennels and day care venues are very concerned about it and I’ll explain why in a minute. It’s normal for you to keep your own children home if they get a cold. If your dog gets a cold, everyone convinces you that it’s a highly contagious, dangerous disease. The frightening thing about this is that three problems occur to make this a very serious approach.
The Vaccine Really Doesn’t Do A Good Job
There’s a strong reason why this vaccine won’t work well. Kennel cough can be caused by at least 40 different agents.
However, there are only two agents within this vaccine. Despite this fact, vets are still very busy vaccinating large numbers of dogs every single day for this one problem.
They’ll keep recommending this vaccine if your dog spends ANY time around other dogs…because they think it actually works or they are encouraged by the drug companies to push this vaccine to unsuspecting dog owners.
Pomeranian Vaccine Reactions Are Common After Kennel Cough Vaccination
These kennel cough vaccine reactions or bordetella shot side effects can range from mild to life threatening. Another fact your vet may neglect to tell you is that the intranasal bordetella vaccine is just part of a combination injection that also contains the parainfluenza vaccine. This intranasal form can cause problems such as pneumonia, an irritable trachea or a collapsed trachea.
All vaccines also elevate histamines which is dangerous as it can cause infections and cancer. After vaccinations, Pomeranians can and have developed life threatening autoimmune diseases.
Why do dogs get a kennel cough after vaccination?
Something not widely known: after vaccinations, dogs shed kennel cough into the environment for up to seven weeks and parainfluenza for a week. It means that, after vaccinations, your dog can spread kennel cough to all dogs he makes contact with. Pomeranian will often display kennel cough symptoms after vaccination.
Now you have this extra information, is vaccinating your dog against kennel cough still a great idea?
However, if your dog is highly susceptible to Bordetella/Kennel Cough, it’s critical that you DO get him vaccinated. In all other cases, if somebody demands you give your healthy dog the kennel cough vaccine, you’ll want to assess other options.
I have written this article to encourage Pomeranian owners to really think about the reasons why they want to get the vaccine. If a healthy Pom doesn’t get put into day care or get boarded, then it should be your choice whether to do it or not.
Consider this – Why on earth would you give your Pomeranian a vaccination that can make him seriously ill or may not even work at all?
There are over 40 strains of Kennel Cough and the Bordetella vaccine only covers 10-14 different strains. Does that sound like a smart way to treat Kennel Cough?
If you’re providing your Pomeranian with a healthy, well-balanced diet, supplementing it with coconut oil and other natural remedies, that’s half the battle. If he’s generally healthy and isn’t in contact with other canines regularly, there’s no reason to empty your pockets with expensive vaccines that may not work or could cause him serious harm.
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References and Further Reading:
[1] Denise Leo “The Pomeranian Handbook”.
The Pomeranian Handbook
Natural Kennel Cough Remedies
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