Bronchitis in Dogs

A chronic cough in dogs — or bronchitis, as it is known — can be a bit of an alarming condition if it happens to your pet. But as a relatively common problem, it shouldn’t be a cause for panic. There are plenty of conditions that can afflict both humans and dogs alike, and bronchitis is one of them.

So, to the question ‘Can dogs get bronchitis?’, the answer is a resounding ‘Yes.’ While it’s completely possible for your dog to contract bronchitis, the condition shouldn't be ignored.

In this comprehensive guide to bronchitis in dogs you’ll learn:

• That the onset of bronchitis symptoms is rapid
• That your dog can pass its bronchitis on to your cat
• That bronchitis is slightly more common in smaller dogs

Dog bronchitis symptoms tend to rear their head pretty quickly. A pronounced cough is almost the definition of bronchitis, so this is one symptom that is certainly going to be present. This is your dog producing excess mucus as it tries to flush the virus or the bacteria out of its body. 

This in turn causes a build-up of mucus in the lungs and airways, making it hard for your dog to breathe and forcing them to cough — making a sound like the honk of a goose. 

Your dog may also be afflicted by wheezing and spasms of coughing. There is a good chance he or she may gag, have foamy saliva, swollen tonsils, and a runny nose and eyes. 

The acute symptoms — a fever; the coughing spasms — will probably only last two or three days but the persistent cough may linger in your dog’s system for a few weeks. Like so many conditions in which a cough is central, dog bronchitis is worse at night, when your pet is lying flat and mucus pools at the back of the throat, causing it to want to clear it out of its body.

If the infection is viral, then bronchitis is contagious in dogs for longer than if it is bacterial. Both types are contagious, but within about 24 hours antibiotics will prevent bacterial bronchitis from being passed on to anyone else. 

When it comes to viral bronchitis, your dog could pass it on to you or another pet in your house for a while, so try to keep them away from people and animals as best you can — for at least a week, which is approximately how long your dog might be contagious for.

It’s worth noting that although chronic bronchitis is not contagious, it’s a more serious condition, so unfortunately there’s no cause for celebration.

It’s the responsibility of pet parents to look after their pet’s health. You can compare top-rated pet insurance plans in seconds and make sure that your dog is covered should it contract bronchitis or any other health problem.

How do dogs get bronchitis? Don’t feel guilty if it happens; it’s a common problem. Pets come into contact with a lot of bacteria and microbes all the time, whether through sniffing and licking things on the floor which they shouldn’t, or simply by getting up close and personal with other animals. Occasionally, these microbes will cause them to get bronchitis, which is a significant infection of the lungs.

A dog might also contract bronchitis as the result of being allergic to something — a particular plant, for example — or because they have inhaled smoke or chemical fumes. Pet experts also say that if a dog is obese, its bronchitis may be more serious.

There are two different types of bronchitis:

Acute infectious bronchitis 

Acute cases of bronchitis are often caused by viruses, following contact with an infected pet. The most common viral causes are kennel cough, parainfluenza, and distemper. Environmental factors such as stress, temperature extremes, and ventilation appear to increase the risk of contracting these viruses.

Unlike chronic bronchitis there appears to be no age bias, although young and geriatric dogs often suffer from more severe symptoms.

Pets who have contact with areas with a number of other dogs, such as in dog parks, boarding kennels, and dog shelters, have higher incidence of contracting the disease. Known causes of acute bronchitis in dogs are: 

• Canine adenovirus
• Canine distemper virus
• Canine herpes virus
• Parainfluenza virus
• Bordetella bronchiseptica
• Streptococcus zooepidemicus

Chronic bronchitis 

Cases are considered chronic when the pet has suffered from coughing for over 2 consecutive months. Often the cause of chronic bronchitis is unknown, though the following may be predisposing factors: 

• Previous respiratory tract damage, trauma or infection
• Prolonged exposure to inhaled irritants such as cigarette smoke
• Age 
• Cardiovascular disease

Because the two conditions are so alike, it can be difficult to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia. In order to determine whether your dog does indeed have bronchitis, your vet will ask about your dog’s medical history and may perform chest X-rays, an endoscopy, a biopsy or bronchial wash, or use bronchial swabs or a saline solution called lavage.

The condition is a tricky one in that it’s known as a ‘condition of exclusion’. What this means is that your vet will need to conclude that the cough isn’t being caused by anything else before announcing a diagnosis of bronchitis.

As well as performing a full clinical examination of your pet, your veterinarian will auscultate the lungs and heart of your pet to determine his lung and cardiovascular health. The lung noises during respiration will assist your veterinarian in diagnosing the illness. 

If your companion has a harsh cough and history of contact with other infected dogs, or environmental stress, it may indicate viral bronchitis. Your veterinarian may need to take radiographs of your pet’s thorax under sedation; this may show bronchial wall thickening that can indicate bronchitis.

Other diagnostic tools that may be used are:

• Bronchoscopy to visualise the bronchial tubes
• Cytology and microbiology investigations may also be performed using a bronchial wash which may indicate the cause of the condition

This may sound obvious but if your dog has bronchitis, it’s not the time to take it for too much strenuous exercise. This is likely to make the problem worse, and certainly not improve it. 

When it comes to dog bronchitis treatment, the first response on the vet’s part will often be to assume that the dog will simply get rid of the infection within a week or two. But antiviral drugs or antibiotics — depending which type of bronchitis your dog has — will be administered in addition to anti-inflammatories. While your dog is taking these, which will usually be over a period of a few weeks, you need to take care not to over-exert them; they’ll need their energy to heal efficiently.

Now your next question may be: how can I treat my dog’s bronchitis at home? Here’s one technique: if you want to help your dog cough more easily and loosen the mucus in its throat, you can use steam therapy: just run a hot shower, resist the urge to get into it yourself, and bring your dog into the room to breathe in the steam.

If your dog has chronic bronchitis, its treatment will last its entire life and will involve corticosteroids, which help to alleviate inflammation in the airways. 

You may also consider adjusting your dog’s diet while he or she has bronchitis. While there isn’t a specific food for a dog with bronchitis, food that’s softer and easier to swallow may provide relief compared to some types of dry food.

Visit our online partners, Dog Food Advisor, to view recommendations for best fresh dog food and best wet dog food.

The prognosis for your dog will depend on the underlying cause of the bronchitis and his initial response to treatment.

Your pet will need careful veterinary monitoring and regular revisits, if symptoms worsen it is essential your canine companion be seen by a veterinarian promptly. As infectious bronchitis is highly contagious it is important that your pet is kept away from other animals for the duration of the illness.

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