kennel cough in dogs

Canine infectious tracheobronchitis, also known as kennel cough, is a very contagious illness among dogs.  This illness spreads rapidly, particularly in areas where dogs are concentrated such as kennels (hence the name), grooming facilities, puppy classes, etc. Even if dogs are vaccinated against kennel cough, it is no guarantee that they will not contract the illness for one reason: the vaccine is made for one strain but unfortunately, there are many strains of the illness. So, even if your dog has been vaccinated, he/she may still contract the disease. Obviously you still want to have the vaccination (I highly recommend you do) but it is no guarantee that they will not contract it in a group of dogs where one is infected. 

Common signs that indicate your dog may have kennel cough are a very deep, almost husky cough. There may be nasal and eye discharge and if it is a yellowish green color, this would indicate an infection has set in. 

Treatment generally provided by your vet would be a course of antibiotics and in some cases a cough suppressant.  Kennel cough typically last 7 to 10 days. If your dog is being treated for kennel cough, do not bring him to a dog park or into contact with other dogs until he/she is non contagious (generally a period of time/after 10 days). This is a highly contagious disease similar to bronchitis in humans. 

Kennel cough can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or both. The most common bacterium involved is Bordetella bronchiseptica, which is the bacterial component of the kennel cough vaccine.

So remember, keep your dogs vaccinated, keep them healthy and happy, and keep wagging!