# k9 Bordetella Connection to Whooping Cough?



## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

I just had a dog boarding client call me and give as her reason for not giving the Bordetella vaccine to her dogs as she will get Whooping Cough. 

This was a new one on me so I googled to find out. There seems to be a the possibility of dogs with kennel cough to give a "whooping cough" like symptoms to immuno-compromised humans. I cannot find where it says not to vaccinate for bordetella in fear that you would get whooping cough. 

I board quite a few rescue/shelter dogs for various organizations so I require dogs boarded here to have current vaccs including the bordetella vaccine as the unvaccinated dogs are at risk of getting sick. 

Anyone know if her reasoning has a basis in science?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I'm not an MD (and that's who she should talk to), but I would be much, MUCH more worried about her getting whooping cough from all these non-vaccinated kids running around. ;-) She's more likely to get bordetella shed from a non-vaccinated or otherwise non-immune dog, so I don't really get her logic?


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Maren Bell Jones said:


> I'm not an MD (and that's who she should talk to), but I would be much, MUCH more worried about her getting whooping cough from all these non-vaccinated kids running around. ;-) She's more likely to get bordetella shed from a non-vaccinated or otherwise non-immune dog, so I don't really get her logic?


I agree. That's what I was thinking. I don't want to board unvaccinated dogs because I don't want to hear that someone's pet caught kennel cough from one of the rescues.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

I agree. I don't personally give my dogs bordetella vaccines and will probably only stock them only for those who request it, but I understand you want to be covered.


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## Gina Pasieka (Apr 25, 2010)

Interesting thought..however there is a species difference between whooping cough and kennel cough. Kennel cough is B. bronchoseptica and whooping cough is B. parapertussis. She may be under the impression that if her dogs get a modified live vaccine (ie intranasal vaccine) and get mild kennel cough symptoms, that she will also catch it. I would let her know not to worry about it. Could you imagine the number of veterinary staff that would be hacking  ????


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Apparently Bordetella bronchiseptica is does have a very small chance of being zoonotic. Kind of like stuff like foot and mouth disease where it isn't *really* zoonotic, but some people can have very minor infections (like mild lesions on their hands or mouths). IIRC...but yeah, I'd be much more worried about catching whooping cough from a human.


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## Debbie Skinner (Sep 11, 2008)

Thank you both for the info. Now I have something to tell the client as far as to calm her fears. I have to require the vacc at the boarding kennel.


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