If you are considering boarding your dog, you are probably aware of kennel cough. As common as a cold in humans, kennel cough can easily infect an entire kennel of dogs in a few days. Once infected symptoms last for weeks, with a dry hacking cough being an inconvenience to dog owners. Untreated some cases of kennel cough can be deadly, so learn kennel cough symptoms and take possibly infected dogs to the veterinarian.
Kennel cough is an infection in the lining of a dog’s upper bronchii and trachea. The most common causes of kennel cough are the Adenovirus, Parainfluenza virus, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. Kennel cough can also be caused by the Mycoplasma organism. Although the damage to the bronchii and trachea is minimal, the damage that does occur exposes nerves that become irritated as the dog breaths. If the infection is stopped and the organisms killed the bronchii and trachea will quickly heal with no permanent damage to the dog.
The most obvious symptom of kennel cough is a persistent dry cough that is aggravated by exercise. The initial hacking should start three to seven days after exposure. Once begun, the coughing will be persistent, possibly occurring every few minutes. Despite a cough, the dog should not have fever or loss of appetite. These symptoms last one to three weeks. Kennel cough that is life threatening is considered rare, but if your dog has any symptoms, call and make an appointment with your veterinarian. He will be able to confirm a diagnosis and offer antibiotics and cough suppressants.
Kennel cough is very contagious, making it similar to the common cold in humans. Dogs are infected from airborne organisms, where they attach to the trachea and begin to damage the cells they feed from. For this reason, be sure to mention you think your dog may have kennel cough to the veterinarian before you bring your dog to the office. The veterinarian’s office might have suggested procedures to protect other dogs from infection while you visit. Your dog could also not have kennel cough at all, but another disease with similar symptoms. Many deadly diseases cause a similar hacking cough.
As indicated by its name, kennel cough can easily be caught while boarding your dog. Because it is highly contagious, even the best maintained kennels can spread the disease. For this reason, many kennels now require you to vaccinate your dog against this illness before boarding. A vaccination may only protect against a certain strain of kennel cough and not immunize a dog against all varieties. Many dogs already have some immunity to kennel cough, meaning that they may not become ill even if they are exposed. If your dog is not regularly exposed to other dogs, it may never become ill with kennel cough.
Recognizing the symptoms of kennel cough and how to prevent it are only the first steps in protecting your dog. Any true protection can only be offered by your veterinarian, who can offer vaccinations and medication if your dog becomes ill. Other illnesses can masquerade as kennel cough to the layperson, so be sure to take your dog to the veterinarian at the first sign of excessive coughing.
