Kennel Cough

Around this time of year, the vets in the clinic start to see a lot of coughing dogs. 

One of the most common causes of coughing in dogs is kennel cough.  Kennel cough is a condition that causes a severe dry hacking cough.  Sometimes owners even report that their dogs cough so much they make them selves sick!

Kennel cough itself is a condition that is caused by the bacteria Bordetella brontiseptica. The bacteria can be picked in almost any environment by a dog, and is not limited to being picked up in the kennels as the name suggests. 

The bacteria generate a lot of irritation and inflammation to the dog’s windpipe, and can also cause bronchitis.  The more the dogs cough, the more irritated their airways become, and so it turns into a vicious cycle.  If left untreated the infection can progress to cause asthma and pneumonia.  In very severe cases, these can lead to death. 

Happily however, this is not a common occurrence due to advances in medicine.  A number of very effective vaccines are available, which give dogs a good level of protection to these bacteria.  Most reputable kennels, dog clubs and dog walkers all now insist on dogs being vaccinated against kennel cough before using their services which has reduced the spread of the illness hugely.  It is still important to remember though, that the vaccine can only reduce the chance and severity of infection, and doesn’t prevent a dog from picking up mild cases of the condition.

As well as the vaccines, if a dog is unlucky enough to catch kennel cough, the good news is that there are a wide number of antibiotics that can be used to treat it.  Once a dog has been diagnosed by the vet a short course of antibiotic tablets along with some rest and relaxation is usually all that is needed to get them back to full health.