Symptoms and Treatment for Your Dog's Kennel Cough

Also known by names such as Infectious Tracheobronchitis or Canine Cough Syndrome, Canine Bordetellosis is a fairly common and highly contagious respiratory disease. Affecting dogs throughout the world, this disease is caused by various viruses and/or bacteria, working either alone or in combination, to infect our canine companions. Many people have heard of the infamous "kennel cough," but what is it exactly and how do we fight it?

The most common factor of canine bordetellosis is the presence of the bacterium known as bordetella bronchispetica, though conditions such as parainfluenza, canine adenovirus and the canine herpes virus may also contribute. In most cases, the kennel cough is multifaceted and involves a mixture of virus and bacterium though, fortunately, the condition is easy to diagnose. Roughly one week after exposure, the symptoms of kennel cough usually begin to appear in those who are infected. If caught soon enough, canine bordetellosis is fairly easy to treat.

The symptoms of kennel cough are very noticeable - mainly a dry, hacking cough, where the dog will hang his head, quite often making choking and retching sounds from his throat. This cough is brought about by an inflammation of the trachea, or windpipe, and the bronchi inside your dog's lungs. Sometimes, the intensity of these coughing fits can be so intense that it will cause nausea and vomiting.

In addition to the infamous cough, infected dogs may also run a fever, suffer from rhinitis (inflamed mucous membranes, within the nose), conjunctivitis (pink eye), or have a white and foamy sputum when they do manage to cough anything up. A clear nasal discharge is also common with this condition, though some dogs may suffer from a thick yellow or green discharge, usually a symptom that the bordetellosis is progressing into pneumonia. Even with medication, symptoms of this illness can continue for days or, in some cases, even weeks.

The common name, 'kennel cough,' is also misleading. Dogs can still contract bordetellosis, even when they aren't in a kennel. In fact, your dog could contract kennel cough, even playing alone in his own back yard! Bordetellosis is aerosolized, which means that it is spread through the air, in the form of tiny droplets which are coughed up by the infected dogs. If your dog happens to be downwind of an animal that is infected, whether you see the other dog or not, there is a risk for infection. Even more alarming, some dogs are what are known as 'carriers,' meaning that they have the disease, though they show no outward signs or symptoms. In other cases, some dogs will carry the bacteria in their respiratory track for years and never have an outburst until they stress or their immune systems are compromised in some fashion.

Fortunately, there is a distemper/parvo 7-way vaccination which can help protect your dog from some of the viruses (but not all), that cause bordetellosis. Squirted up each of your dog's nostrils, this vaccine cannot prevent kennel cough but, if your canine companion is infected, chances are very good that it will be easier on him and there are better chances for a full recovery. Remember that, if left unattended, kennel cough can make your furry friends very ill.

If you suspect that your canine companion may have kennel cough or that he may have been exposed to it, isolate him from other dogs and take him in for a veterinarian examination as soon as possible. Be sure to supply your veterinarian with a history of your pet's vaccination records, any recent stress-situations that he's encountered, and what sort of activities that your dog has engaged in. This will help in your veterinarian coming up with a speedy diagnosis and, in most cases, your pet will accompany you home along with some antibiotics, possibly a bronchodilator and, in some cases, a suggestion for a good over-the-counter cough suppressant.

You should always keep your pet's shots up to date but remember that vaccination, alone, cannot prevent your dog from contracting kennel cough. As with most diseases, prevention is essential. Your best weapon against this disease is the power of your own mind - educate yourself about this disease and how to keep your pet happy and healthy. He'll love you for it.