What You Should Know About Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is a highly contagious disease that goes by a number of different names including infectious canine cough, infectious respiratory disease and bordetellosis. It is very common, occurring throughout the world and affecting all breeds of dogs.
The name, kennel cough, comes from the fact that it often strikes dogs kept together in close confines, such as in dog kennels or at dog shows. That doesn't mean though, that only dogs kept in these situations are at risk of contracting it. A good analogy is to think of it as you would a human cold. All that is needed is one dog coughing and the virus becomes airborne. When that occurs any dog within the immediate area can catch it.
The virus attacks the dog’s windpipe and upper bronchi, although the dog will show little or no obvious signs of being ill. The most obvious symptom is a dry hacking cough that has been described as sounding like a "honking goose".
This is often enough to send many dog owners into a panic, but in fact, most cases of kennel cough are quite mild. Your dog will mostly carry on as normal, with only the cough to indicate he is unwell.What you need to be aware of though is that, if kennel cough is not treated, it can lead to pneumonia, which can be deadly. That's why it is very important to seek veterinary help for kennel cough, even if the infection seems mild.
After examining the dog, the vet may decide to prescribe antibiotics for your dog. If the vet decides that the infection is minor he may decide not to treat it at all. He will, however, ask you to keep a close eye on your dog and to report any worsening in his condition.
The easiest way to protect your dog from exposure to kennel cough is to keep him away from dogs you don't know. This includes dogs you encounter on the street or at the doggy park and is even more important if your dog is a puppy, with an underdeveloped immune system.
Despite its connection with kenneled dogs, most kenneling facilities are well aware of the dangers of the disease and will require proof of vaccination before taking a dog in. If they don't, take your dog somewhere else.
Vaccinating your dog against kennel cough is an absolute necessity, even if he's never likely to see the inside of a dog kennel. The vaccine is usually given with the annual "five in one" booster shot, but speak to your vet if you have any concerns in this regard.
Kennel cough itself is not a serious danger to a healthy adult dog, but because it can be a factor in more serious diseases it always pays to have it treated right away.
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