How long does kennel cough last?

I realise this may be a 'how long is a piece of string' question, but does anyone have any experience in how long kennel cough symptoms usually last?

Julius started coughing yesterday, was up all night hacking and coughing up white foamy spit/phlegm so I took him to the vets this morning. He was given an injection of Convenia and the vet told me I could give him 1/2tsp Benylin in the evening to supress his coughing.

The vet said to keep him away from other dogs until his symptoms went, which of course I will do, but I didn't think to ask how long this was likely to take.

He's managed a few hours of sleeping with no coughing, but they he gets up and it starts again just as bad and I feel so helpless. It sounds absolutely horrific, (and my carpets are covered in wet patches which I'm hoping will clean up & dry ok)

You should really keep him away from other dogs for 21 days.

Oh blooming heck, really?! When I can't work from home he goes to a dogsitter who has her own dog and often others too. Fortunately he's not due to go in the next week but I hadn't thought about further down the line.

Typically it lasts about 3 weeks. Exercise or pulling on a lead on a neck collar can exacerbate symptoms. Secondary bacterial infection can also complicate the viral kennel cough primary infection.

Did he have the KC vaccine? It does not cover all cases of Bordetella Bronchiseptica but it can prevent many cases and mitigate the effects.

If I was looking after a dog in my home, there is no way I would accept it if it had KC.

No, it had unfortunately never occurred to us to get him vaccinated against KC I asked the vet about vaccinations going forward and he told me that many dogs who've had the illness get a certain level of immunity so he wouldn't administer it anytime soon.

IME most people only have KC vaccine if a boarding kennel has insisted on it as it only lasts about 6 months and, as SB said, it is not effective against every strain.

It is also a nose drop vaccine (a few cc of liquid directly down the nostrils) which a lot of dogs are none too keen on,

I'm sure that the distress you feel at seeing your dog like this is quite enough to ensure that you do do your best to keep him away from all other dogs until the 21 days are up.

Oh yes, absolutely. I'd be horrified at the thought of passing it onto some poor other unsuspecting dog.

Am I ok to walk him on the lead well away from physical contact other dogs, or can the virus(?) survive on grass etc? I.e. am I ok to walk him in areas where other dogs might come afterwards? We didnt go to our normal park this morning, rather I took him for a walk along the river, but I know other dog walkers will also use the path and don't want to accidentally pass it on that way.

Incidentally, we had another horrible night, even worse than the previous night. Thankfully I'd put old towels down on the carpets but the poor little monster still managed to aim two puddles in the gaps around them!

It is passed by droplets like our coughs and colds so you should avoid dog walking areas as it can be picked up by dogs touching sniffing/licking the grass your dog has coughed on.