Kennel Cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by microorganisms such as Bordetella, mycoplasma, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus and more. It often appears after a dog has been in the confined company of other dogs – such as a group dog daycare, boarding house or kennel – thus the name.
Kennel Cough is very contagious.
Also known as Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis, you need to pay special attention to it if your dog is still a puppy or is old because a low immune system can result in the condition having serious effects.
What it is?
Kennel Cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by microorganisms such as mycoplasma, adenovirus, parainfluenza virus and many more. A highly contagious condition, it is often transferred from dog to dog either by direct contact, nose-touching or even sneezing.
How to recognize it
Naturally, the simplest signs of Kennel Cough are sneezing and coughing. If the repeated sneezing and coughing are accompanied by a persistent honking sound, then it is most probably a case of Kennel Cough. Also, look out for fever and running nose as well. Other symptoms are a loss of appetite, a loss of enthusiasm, lethargy and so on.
Key symptoms:
- a strong cough, often with a “honking” sound – this is the most obvious symptom
- runny nose
- sneezing
- lethargy
- loss of appetite
- low fever
How it can be treated
Treatment is not very difficult, as long as you bring your dog to a vet in a timely manner. The condition can sometimes be caused by multiple elements or lead to complications if not taken care of, in which case Kennel Cough can be very severe. Besides, Kennel Cough can have devastating effects on puppies, sick dogs, and old dogs, because of a weak immune system.
It is highly recommend that if your dog has Kennel Cough, that you use a harness rather than a collar to walk your dog because the irritation of the through can aggravate the cough and even cause damage.
How it can be prevented
- Avoid kennels, boarding houses, daycares, etc where many dogs are kept together in a confined space – this will reduce the risks significantly
- Vaccination – although it can only prevent infection from some types of microorganisms like Bordetella
- If you have a sick dog and multiple dogs at home, separate them as much as possible or at least to separate their water and food to prevent spreading the problem.
To hear more about 1-1 dog walks and overnight pet sitting in your home, both of which avoid sources of Kennel Cough, click here.