Kennel Cough in Dogs: Symptoms, Treatment, and Preventatives
Most parents are aware that when you send your kid off to school, they’re likely going to pick up some illnesses along the way. But did you know the same goes for your dog? Canine cough, more commonly known as kennel cough, is a highly contagious respiratory disease spread by dogs. If your dog is frequenting daycare, dog parks, or other highly populated canine locations, they’re likely going to contract kennel cough at some point in their lifetime. Today, I’m sharing everything you need to know about kennel cough in dogs from symptoms, to prevention and treatments.
What is Kennel Cough?
Kennel cough, also known as Bordatella, canine cough, or canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is a highly contagious respiratory disease. It is most commonly known as kennel cough because it is often spread at “kennels”. Boarding facilities, dog daycares, dog parks, training groups, and dog shows are all common breeding grounds for the disease.
Kennel cough can be spread through airborne droplets or contaminated surfaces such as food and water bowls. Because it is so contagious, once one dog in a facility has it, it’s likely that the majority of other dogs will contract it as well.
Symptoms of Kennel Cough
Kennel cough isn’t a severe illness, and is very similar to a human getting a cold. However, the symptoms are quite noticeable and persistent. Symptoms to watch out for in your dog include:
- A strong, honking cough
- Coughing up phlegm
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
And in more severe cases your dog may experience lethargy, loss of appetite, or a low fever. For most dogs, however, they tend to feel perfectly fine and just have a nagging cough.
The cough associated with kennel cough is different than your average cough. It’s most commonly described as a “honking” sound, almost like a goose, rather than a dry cough or clearing of the throat.
Treatment of Kennel Cough
Thankfully, kennel cough isn’t a fatal or severe illness. In many cases, dogs who present with kennel cough symptoms will be sent home for a week or two of rest. In some cases an antibiotic such as doxycycline or clavamox may be prescribed.
It’s important to note that kennel cough is highly contagious so your dog should be isolated from all other dogs until symptoms disappear completely. If you have multiple dogs in your household, assume they all have been infected and isolate everyone until the last dogs symptoms are gone. Kennel cough symptoms typically resolve within 3-6 weeks.
How to Prevent Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is almost entirely unavoidable in places with high volumes of dogs. Boarding and daycare facilities, vet clinics, and groomers should all have cleaning protocols in place to reduce the spread as much as possible.
Most places that have large amounts of dogs will require a bordatella vaccine. This vaccine is usually given intranasal or orally and lasts for 6 months to a year. The biggest controversy surrounding the bordatella vaccine is the effectiveness of it. While most of the time kennel cough is caused by bordatella (a type of bacteria), that is not always the case. For kennel cough cases that were caused by an agent other than the bordatella bacterium, the vaccine will not be effective.
Regardless, if your dog is going to be boarding, visiting daycare, getting groomed, or competing in dog sports, they will likely benefit from the bordatella vaccine and most of these locations will require proof of vaccination.
Always consult with your veterinarian about the best options for you and your pet.