Puppy See Puppy Do
Kennel Cough And Your Dog
By Mark Woodcock
Before taking your dog to a boarding kennel, dog show or other places where they might be around a lot of other dogs, it's a good idea to vaccinate your dog against kennel cough.
kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory condition which is thought to be caused by a bacteria called Bordatella. kennel cough vaccines are not generally necessary for house dogs that don't have much contact with other dogs.
There are two types of vaccines for kennel cough. The injectable vaccine takes a while to have an effect, so it's not necessarily the best choice if you are in need of rapid protection. The intranasal (inhaled through the nose) vaccine has a quicker effect and is best for more immediate pet contact situations.
You can vaccinate for kennel cough as early as 4 weeks of age. Annual and sometimes bi annual boosters are needed. Sometimes getting an additional booster before intense exposure to other dogs is a wise move.
Kennel cough causes bouts of high pitched coughing that keeps both you and your dog awake at night for up to 2 weeks. Onset of this bacterial disease occurs abruptly after contact with infected dogs. Some pet owners may also note vomiting in their dogs, but usually their pets are just expelling a large amount of phlegm.
During an infection, dogs generally keep up their normal activity level and don't feel too sick. There is no cure for kennel cough except time. Thus, prevention is the best way to contend with this disease. However, kennel cough is self limiting and will generally clear up in a couple of weeks even without any medication.
Pet owners should be aware of possible secondary infections, which may lead to pneumonia. If pneumonia sets in, antibiotics may be necessary to help clear the infection. At this stage, getting phlegm out of the dog's system is the key for recovery, which is why cough suppressant medication is not appropriate. Intense coughing can be painful for your dog, so limit activity; the more your dog moves around, the more they will cough.
If you have other dogs in the house, they will probably get kennel cough too, but you can take some precautionary measures. Separate everyone and wash your hands after contact with each dog. Use bleach to clean areas where your sick dog has been.
If your pet is coughing for more than 2 or 3 days without signs of improvement, take your dog to your veterinarian. Your dog's cough may not be kennel cough. If you see any secondary signs, such as depression, lack of appetite, fever, blood in phlegm, or difficulty breathing, bring your pet into your local veterinarian for assessment and treatment.
Most importantly, if your dog does have kennel cough, don't take him into a situation where he will put other dogs at risk of infection.
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