Kennel cough is always a hot topic in the dog community.
What is Kennel Cough?
Kennel cough (or canine cough) is a highly-contagious, upper respiratory tract infection syndrome caused by several different viruses or bacteria as well as by complex combinations of those different viruses and bacteria.
Simply put, canine cough is the dog equivalent of the human cold.
Although a very noticeable condition, it is in fact not as dangerous as it looks and sounds. In most circumstances, it is classified as a relatively minor disorder. However, in some cases, due to certain contributing factors, it has the potential to progress into a more serious condition such as pneumonia.
Canine cough is likely to occur in any densely dog populated place. In the past, as kennels were the most densely populated places, it gained the name kennel cough. But these days large numbers of dogs can be found at many other places such as dog parks, grooming salons, doggy daycares, dog schools and vet premises, the term kennel cough is slowly being replaced with the more appropriate canine cough.
How is Canine Cough Spread?
The obvious route of transmission is via direct dog to dog contact. As canine cough is spread by aerosols (tiny water droplets in a dog’s cough or sneeze), this also means that other forms of transmission, not requiring direct dog to dog contact, are also possible.
Such as contaminated surfaces including sharing toys, food and drinking bowls and even drinking from the same puddle in the park can lead to canine cough outbreak. For this reason, it is recommend not letting your pet drink from those communal pet water bowls near drinking fountains at parks. It’s best to bring your own water for your pets if needed.
Even you, as a dog parent, can contribute to spreading the disease if you come in contact with an infected dog and then pet your own.
Groups most at risk of contracting canine cough
Dogs with a higher risk of catching canine cough include puppies, geriatric dogs, dogs with immune-mediated diseases and dogs on immunosuppressant drugs (such as prednisone).
These groups are also likely to experience more severe secondary complications such as pneumonia. Pneumonia is also more likely to occur in brachycephalic dog breeds (Pugs, French Bulldogs etc) and dogs with pre-existing respiratory issues (such as collapsing trachea, upper respiratory constrictions) because they have a harder time clearing the infection from their respiratory system.
Canine Cough Incubation Period
It usually takes between 3 to 10 days after exposure for the symptoms of canine cough to become obvious. If there are no complications, canine cough resolves within 2 or 3 weeks.
Canine Cough Symptoms
A dog with canine cough will usually show one, or all of following symptoms:
Dry or productive cough (often with foamy mucus)
Retching or gagging
Watery discharge from the nose
Runny eyes
Canine Cough Treatment
Since canine cough usually resolves on its own over time, when dealing with mild cases, it is advisable to let the disease run its course.
More severe cases are traditionally treated with antibiotics and cough suppressants but today, their use is quite controversial. This is because antibiotics are efficient only against bacteria not viruses. On the other hand, they may prevent secondary bacterial infections and shorten the time a dog remains contagious to other dogs. A common antibiotic used to treat this condition is Doxycycline.
The use of cough suppressants is equally questionable. Namely, while it is true that they make the dog feel more comfortable it is also true that they prolong the time needed for clearing up the infection (the dog expels mucus and pathogens by coughing).
Dogs with secondary pneumonia will require hospitalisation (they need to receive intravenous fluids, antibiotics and oxygen therapy).
Home treatment
Dogs with mild canine cough will be sent home and their owners advised to:
Make sure the dog avoids physical activity and is allowed to rest
Provide the pet with a well-ventilated but warm and stress-free environment
Keep the dog well hydrated (adding broth to the drinking water is a good way of promoting increased water intake)
Use nebulizers with saline water twice a day for at least 10 minutes (to keep the throat moist),
Offer softer foods since the throat is already sore
Use a harness, when needed, instead of collars
Watch closely for changes in the dog’s overall health status, breathing difficulty and lethargy
Prognosis for Dogs with Canine Cough
For otherwise healthy and regularly vaccinated dogs, the prognosis is excellent. The prognosis is also good to excellent for dogs that developed pneumonia, as long as appropriate treatment was timely initiated.
The prognosis is poorer and usually guarded for dogs with pre-existing respiratory diseases and brachycephalic dogs along with puppies, geriatric dogs and immune compromised pets.
All in all, the prognosis is much better for dogs which are current on their vaccination for canine cough.
Is Kennel Cough contagious to Humans?
Generally no, since most canine cough pathogens cannot be transmitted to humans. However, Bordatella bronchiseptica (a distant relative of the bacteria responsible for whooping cough in humans) can rarely infect humans too.
The risk factor crucial for contracting this pathogen from a dog is a severely compromised immune system. Luckily, only an insignificantly small number of such cases have been reported.
Can a vaccinated dog still get Canine Cough?
Unfortunately, yes. The canine cough vaccine protects dogs against several, but not all, strains of canine cough. Other bacteria and viruses can cause canine cough, so your dog can still catch it despite being vaccinated. A little like the human flu vaccination. You can still get a cold/flu even though you’ve had a flu vaccination.
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