What to Do About Kennel Cough
Posted on May 23, 2008
Filed Under Pets |
Dog kennel cough is named variously like canine cough, infectious tracheobronchitis and bordetellosis. Both bacteria and viruses have been found to cause dog kennel cough. It is a condition in which a dog’s windpipe and upper bronchi are damaged and irritated due to the action of infectious microorganisms.
What is Kennel Cough All About
The lining of the windpipe and bronchi of a dog suffering from dog kennel cough are damaged by a bacterial and/or viral infection, exposing nerve endings which become irritated when air passes over them as the dog breathes in and out. This causes the primary symptom of the illness, a dry, coarse, hacking cough which the dog usually develops within about a week of the initial infection.
Severity And Duration Of The Disease
In most cases or kennel cough, the symptoms are mild. The affect on the health of the dog is minimal. Most cases come without a rise in temperature or lose of appetite. The main affect is the persistent cough that occurs every few minutes through the day. These symptoms normally last for one to three weeks in most cases. The use of antibiotics are not usually needed, however, it is useful to speed the healing of the cough.
How is the Disease of Kennel Cough Transmitted
Dog kennel cough transmits much like the human cold. The germs that cause kennel cough is carried in the air and inhaled in the air by other dogs. This causes the infection. This is common especially in dogs that are susceptible to the microbes. Even though any dog anywhere can be affected by this disease, it is common when there are multiple dogs infected in a kennel.
How to Treat Kennel Cough
The veterinarian usually prescribes cough-suppressing drugs for the relieving the annoying cough that characterizes the disease. While most of the dogs recover from kennel cough without medication, antibiotics may be prescribed occasionally to assist in recovering from the infection.
It is important to have the dog examined by a vet because symptoms similar to kennel cough are also caused by other serious respiratory diseases. Vaccinating the dog against infectious organisms may prevent dog kennel cough. A dog that is not frequently in contact with other dogs already has a low chance of catching kennel cough. In case of vaccination, the dog should be given the vaccine at least a few weeks before taking it to a dog show or out in the company of other dogs.
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