has my dog(roxy) got kennel cough?help

hi,my boxer dog was in the garden about 2 months ago,she was playing with a hedgehog and i believe she ate the head or part of it.ever since she has had a terrible cough that sounds like she is trying to cough up flem or spikes!!i took her to the vets recently to buy 'frontline',while there i enquired about the cough.the lady behind the counter advised this was nothing to do with hedgehog but was kennel cough(this was diagnosed only by hearing roxy cough and no actual examination.only thing is i have researched kc and beleive it only lasts for about 2-3 weeks but roxy has had this cough for about 2 months!!could this still be kennel cough after this long or is it related to the hedgehog?please help?

I'm definitely not the most qualified person to answer this, but as I've also been researching KC of late (my puppy is recovering from it) I can tell you that it is supposed to clear within a couple of weeks. I would definitely get your dog back down to the vet and this time have a proper consultation about the cough, explaining how long it has lasted for. I'm a little surprised that the lady who 'diagnosed' KC didn't get you to see a vet then, given that it is contagious and can have serious consequences for puppies or elderly dogs.

The residual cough from kennel cough can continue for up to 6 months after the other symptoms have cleared up (runny nose, congestions etc) but I think you should get your dog examined by a vet as there are many other causes of coughing.

Definitely get the vet to examine your dog and give you a proper diagnosys.

Good luck x

thank you for your advice

I suggest you go to a different vet. My vet wouldn`t dream of letting the receptionist diagnose his patients! Additionally the cough could be due to a number of things - from worms to an infection to a damaged throat. If this dog were mine I`d get to the vet asap. However - if you suspect it is Kennel cough, in fairness to other dog owners, please don`t sit with him in the waiting area with all the other dogs as it`s very infectious. I`ve had 2 dogs contract Kennel cough after a visit to the vet for something else.