Does My Dog Have Kennel Cough?

Your dog was fine yesterday, but now they have a horrible dry choking cough and a runny nose — what could it be?

 If your dog has been around other dogs or cats or recently returned from a boarding facility, chances are its kennel cough.

Kennel Cough is a respiratory infection that develops due to exposure to Bordetella bacteria or several viruses. Dogs are commonly exposed in boarding facilities, grooming salons, and vet clinics.

Dogs are more susceptible to catching this illness when their immune system is compromised or they contract a virus on top of the Bordetella bacteria. It's not uncommon for pets to test positive for parainfluenza virus and the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica at the same time.

Stick around for more info on how kennel cough spreads, its symptoms, how to treat it, and preventative measures you can take to keep your dog from getting it.

Oftentimes, kennel cough is not a single infection but a case of multiple infections. Typically, the bacteria responsible for kennel cough travels in the company of at least one or more viruses. 

The most common place for these infections to be passed around is warm, crowded spaces such as boarding kennels, animal shelters, or grooming shops, but this bacteria can be literally anywhere. 

The bacteria and viruses responsible for kennel cough are highly contagious and can remain alive and well for up to 14 weeks in animals who are no longer symptomatic. Both bacterial and viral kennel cough can be spread in the air via respiratory droplets from sneezing or coughing or through contact with contaminated surfaces. 

Fortunately, kennel cough is not usually serious, and most dogs make a complete, uneventful recovery. However, dogs with pre-existing or chronic medical conditions, puppies, and seniors are at higher risk for complications.

Remember, kennel cough is very contagious, so infected dogs should be isolated from other animals while infected, at least for the duration of their cough.

In most cases, if your dog is young and healthy and suddenly develops a rasping cough, it's a good sign that they have been exposed to kennel cough, especially if they've been around other dogs.

A simple test you can do to see if your dog has kennel cough is to apply light pressure to their trachea (throat.) If they begin a dry hacking cough, sneezing, gagging, snorting, or even vomiting, these are all considered good indicators of kennel cough. 

Some other signs of Kennel Cough in dogs include:

• Inflammation of the windpipe
• Red, irritated eyes
• Nasal discharge
• Sneezing
• Dry hacking cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Fever
• Gagging
• Vomiting 

If your dog has been vaccinated for kennel cough, you may wonder, "Does my dog have kennel cough from the vaccine?" And that is a valid question! 

The Bordetella vaccine causes your dog's immune system to develop antibodies to the kennel cough bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica. When the body is developing antibodies to the vaccine (especially live vaccines), kennel cough symptoms may occur. The reaction is usually much milder than the actual illness and passes uneventfully.

Diagnosis 

The best way to diagnose kennel cough is by observing the dog for symptoms. These often arise after a stay in a boarding kennel, grooming facility, shelter, or in puppies from a puppy mill.

To make a diagnosis, the vet will review your pet's symptoms and history of exposure and may also culture any discharge to determine if the infection is bacterial.

The vet may order blood work and viral isolations to isolate and identify which particular pathogens are behind the specific form of kennel cough your dog has. The veterinarian may also order X-rays that will allow them to see if your dog has bronchitis or pneumonia.

Treatment 

If your dog isn't showing signs of recovery within 7 to 10 days or their condition worsens, take them to the vet ASAP. Your veterinarian may prescribe an oral cough suppressant, anti-inflammatory and/or an antibiotic to help with the infection and symptoms.

In most cases, the symptoms of kennel cough will last approximately 10 to 20 days. These symptoms will usually resolve themselves without medication in much the same way as humans recover from the common cold.

While your pet is healing, there are several things you can do to ease their symptoms:

• Use a harness instead of a collar, which can trigger coughing by putting pressure on the trachea
• Humidify the air—a steam shower or humidifier may be effective
• Support your dog's immune system with echinacea, vitamin C, and a high-protein diet
• Honey may help reduce coughing
• Encourage rest

Asking if dogs can get kennel cough more than once is like asking if you can get a common cold more than once. The simple answer is that there are several different causes of kennel cough. Because of this, it is quite possible for your dog to come into contact with more than one source, which in turn means they may experience several bouts of kennel cough in their lifetime. This is also true as immunity is not lifelong.

Viral kennel cough is species-specific and can only be passed amongst dogs, meaning humans cannot catch or transmit it. However, it is possible (albeit rare) for humans to catch (and transmit) bacterial kennel cough. Typically, only people with weak immune systems become infected with kennel cough.

Kennel cough in dogs is very much like the common cold in humans. They are both spread by respiratory droplets, close contact, and touching contaminated surfaces and produce many of the same symptoms.

YES!  Cats can absolutely get kennel cough, and they can transmit it to your dog. All it takes is for the infected cat to breathe or cough around your dog or for your dog to touch something they did. Still, this is a rare occurence. 

Dogs and cats have very similar symptoms, including:

• Persistent Cough
• Nasal Discharge
• Lethargy
• Lack of Appetite
• Fever
• Sneezing
• Discharge from Eyes

Unfortunately, your dogs can develop kennel cough even if they are vaccinated.

Kennel Cough is hard to protect against since multiple viruses can contribute to the development of illness, and the bacteria is super common in dog facilities.

Also, the vaccine is only effective for about 6-12 months, so annual vaccines do not always provide adequate coverage. If the vaccine is not adequately stored or properly administered, it can decrease its effectiveness.

Dogs with compromised immune systems or dogs that were exposed to kennel cough before receiving the vaccine may develop the illness despite vaccination. The good news is this condition usually resolves on its own, and if it doesn't, medications are available to help fight the infection and relieve the symptoms.

This illness can also be purely viral, making vaccines for the bacteria strain ineffective against it. The condition is highly contagious amongst dogs who transfer it from breathing in airborne droplets, such as those produced when another dog with the virus coughs in their vicinity. Remember, dogs can be contagious for 6 to 14 weeks — long after they seemingly recover!

Vaccines are widely available, and many businesses where dogs will be in close quarters with each other require dogs to get the vaccine before they will allow them in the facility. Kennels, dog daycares, and grooming salons commonly require the Bordetella vaccine. However, several factors can cause your dog to contract the disease despite being vaccinated.

These include:

• A compromised immune system, as is often present when a dog is in an unfamiliar environment such as a boarding kennel
• Having been exposed to the virus shortly before vaccination
• Improper storage of vaccine before administration
• Improper administration of vaccine
• Vaccine wearing off after 6 months
• The presence of viruses that weaken your dog's immune system, causing them to be susceptible to the Bordetella bacteria despite vaccination
• A viral respiratory illness independent of Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria
• Environmental factors such as smoke, dust, and exposure to cold that weaken your dog's immune system and cause irritation of airways that bacteria is likely to affect

Because a combination of factors contributes to kennel cough, there isn't a single vaccine to protect dogs from all the different viruses, bacterial infections, and immune-compromising factors that can cause kennel cough. While the kennel cough vaccine isn't 100% effective, it reduces the risk of infection and can decrease the severity of symptoms.

Dogs can develop symptoms of kennel cough from the vaccine, but a full-blown form of the illness is extremely unlikely.

There are two forms of the kennel cough vaccine: an injectable vaccine and an intranasal vaccine that is squirted into your dog's nose. The intranasal, live vaccine is thought to be more effective and quicker acting. However, it can cause symptoms of kennel cough, which may be more pronounced in some animals.

As the body develops antibodies to the vaccine, kennel cough symptoms may occur. The reaction is usually much milder than the actual illness and passes uneventfully.

 Symptoms and side effects of the Bordetella vaccine in your dog are:

• Sneezing
• Nasal discharge
• Coughing
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Swelling at the injection site

Have your dog vaccinated

A simple way to help prevent illness is to get your dog the kennel cough vaccine (preferably the combo vaccine, which protects against Bordetella and Parainfluenza!) The kennel cough vaccine isn't 100% effective since there are many different strains of viral kennel cough, and it does require regular boosters, but it can decrease the symptom severity if your dog contracts it.

Stay away from dog social areas

Avoidance is one of the best methods for kennel cough prevention. However, that's easier said than done. Vet offices, groomers, dog parks, and pet stores commonly become contaminated with kennel cough pathogens, but avoiding all those places is nearly impossible. We recommend minimizing social outings when kennel cough is prevalent in your area and using good hygiene practices like hand washing and baths after outings.

Don't let your dog use shared water bowls (especially in public places)

Many public parks have water bowls and buckets out for their furry patrons. While this is a nice gesture, it's better to bring your own since public water bowls can harbor bacteria and viruses that can make your pooch sick.

Board in a home rather than a kennel

Lastly, if you're going out of town, book a drop-in pet sitter or overnight caregiver to reduce your pet's risk of catching kennel cough (or other yucky bugs that can get passed around these facilities!)

Stay informed

Got pet-related questions? Chat with a veterinary professional today to get the lowdown on kennel cough, prevention, and more!