Kennel cough (more formally known as infectious canine respiratory tract disease or CIRDC) is caused by the virus and bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica and can manifest with symptoms including dry hacking coughing that leads to gagging and pneumonia in affected dogs.
The Bordetella vaccine can be an invaluable aid in protecting against kennel cough, though it’s not 100 percent reliable.
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Medications
Kennel cough is caused by a combination of viruses and bacteria. It spreads via airborne droplets when an infected dog barks, sneezes or coughs; through direct contact between dogs; as well as through items (door handles, food or water bowls) contaminated with contaminants; exposure usually takes place at kennels, grooming facilities, obedience classes, park events or animal shelters.
Veterinarians can often diagnose kennel cough based on exposure history and typical examination findings, with swabs taken to identify which virus or bacteria is involved.
Veterinarians can offer antibiotics and expectorants as ways to help dogs recover from kennel cough, while steroids may be prescribed under special circumstances or for very young or elderly dogs in order to speed their healing, ease breathing and diminish symptoms faster. Steroids should generally not be prescribed chronically as these drugs may have severe side effects in certain individuals and could also weaken immune systems further thereby increasing chances of serious infection developing later.
Vaccines
Kennel cough, also known as canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is caused by bacteria or viruses that infiltrate respiratory system cells in your pet. Common pathogens include Adenovirus 2, Canine Distemper Virus 4, Parainfluenza Virus 4 Pantropic Canine Corona Viruses and HerpesVirus while bacteria such as Bordetella Brochiseptica or Mycoplasma may also play a part in its occurrence.
Disease spreads via inhaling droplets or direct contact between dogs. Your pup’s symptoms could range from mild to severe depending on how their immune systems respond – young puppies, seniors or immunocompromised pets tend to have more serious reactions than others.
As there is now a vaccine against Bordetella bronchiseptica bacterium which causes Kennel Cough (Bordetella bronchiseptica), many veterinarians strongly advise vaccination of your pet who spends time at boarding facilities, groomers or dog parks. Like all vaccinations however, the Bordetella vaccine carries risks and side effects; some dogs may exhibit low grade fevers or lethargy shortly after receiving it but these reactions are normal responses following vaccination.
Laboratory Tests
Kennel cough spreads via aerosol transmission or directly between dogs via surfaces like toys, food bowls or parks that contain contamination such as toys or water bowls contaminated by other dogs coughing; it also spreads rapidly among nearby canines in facilities, shelters and training classes where many dogs congregate; it may affect puppies, older dogs or those suffering from other predisposing illnesses that predispose to pneumonia (like collapsing trachea or congestive heart failure) who come into close proximity with other infected canines coughing coughing through direct transmission from one animal to another; directly or via contact surfaces contaminated surfaces from one dog to another causing coughing (aerosol transmission).
Your veterinarian will take into account your pet’s history during an exam to ascertain an estimated incubation period for kennel cough in dogs or cats. If other than a persistent cough, everything appears healthy other than an irritating cough, your veterinarian may allow the infection to run its course much like they would do with common colds in people. But if symptoms worsen such as lethargy, trouble breathing or loss of appetite arise then additional tests such as polymerase chain reaction PCR assays might be necessary in order to detect viral and/bacterial presence in animals or humans alike.
Hospitalization
Kennel cough spreads via airborne droplets produced when infected dogs cough, sneeze or bark. It may also spread via direct interactions between infected dogs as well as shared toys or food bowls that contain germs contaminated by other infected ones – dog parks and boarding services often being affected.
Kennel cough (infectious tracheobronchitis) is caused by viruses and bacteria that infiltrate the nose, throat, larynx (voice box), trachea and lungs, breaking down their protective lining. Both the trachea and lungs contain air passageways called bronchi, with smaller branches known as bronchioles branching off to carry oxygen through these air passages.
Most dogs with kennel cough appear healthy other than their dry, hacking cough. But if your pet exhibits signs of being unwell such as lethargy and decreased appetite or difficulty breathing, please visit a vet immediately – these could be signs of pneumonia infection and could prove life-threatening if left untreated. Kennel cough can become even more serious over time if left untreated; left untreated it can even turn fatal for some dogs.
