Infectious Canine Cough

Craig from Companion Vets

Last night on TV One news was an article about infectious canine cough commonly referred to as kennel cough.
( I have added the link to the article).

I thought the reporting was a bit light on real facts and quite scaremongering so here is Companion Vets view on canine infectious cough to put our clients at ease.


WHAT IS INFECTIOUS CANINE COUGH?

This is not a new Covid virus or related infection!

Kennel cough is the common name for canine infectious tracheobronchitis. It’s a respiratory infection in dogs caused by a wide range of bacteria and viruses. Canine cough is highly contagious and the main symptom is a harsh, hacking cough.

It is not a new disease but is one that often present in the canine population and seems more prevalent through summer as dogs are boarded or are exposed to more individuals through the holiday season.

Canine cough creates an inflammation of the dog’s upper respiratory tract, including the trachea (wind pipe) and larynx (voice box).

The most common cause is a bacteria strain called Bordetella bronchiseptica. Dogs are more likely to be infected by Bordetella when their immune system is weakened, usually by an infection from a respiratory virus.

HOW DO I KNOW MY DOG HAS CANINE COUGH?

If a dog has canine cough, the main symptom is a consistent, forceful cough. Apart from coughing, your dog shouldn’t feel ill and should still have a good appetite.

However, some strains of infection can cause other symptoms like sneezing, snorting, a runny nose or eye discharge.

The cough can be very worrying clinically, sometimes sounding like your dog has something stuck in their throat. It can be dry and hoarse or produce mucus, which the dog often tries to swallow.

If a dog really does have something stuck in its throat it wont be able to swallow, so often will drool saliva profusely, be unable to eat and possibly paw at its mouth. If it is just coughing then unlikely to be a foreign body in throat.

HOW IS CANINE COUGH SPREAD?

Kennel cough is highly contagious and can easily be spread from one dog to another. When dogs cough, the bacteria and viruses become airborne and can quickly spread to other animals. It can also be transmitted in dog toys, food bowls or other shared objects.

Many dogs get it from being exposed in dog kennels and shelters, which is where the illness gets its common name. They become infected by being around other dogs who have the cough. But with the way dogs socialise with lots of nose to nose contact they can just as easily get it mixing and playing with other visiting dogs at home and when at dog parks.

The incubation period is between 2 and 14 days, during which time the dog will be contagious.

HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?

A surprisingly long time of around 10 days, but canine cough should clear up within three weeks. Sometimes it can take up to six weeks to clear up for older dogs or those with existing medial conditions.

SHOULD I SEEK TREATMENT?

For a persistent cough its often good to get it checked as in some rare cases the illness can progress to pneumonia so contact your vet if your dog’s condition doesn’t improve.

There are also other diseases that can cause coughs that aren't respiratory infections.

If you dog does develop a cough, as with Covid, they should self isolate from other dogs to minimise spread, so no visits to dog park and they should stop attending doggy day care or going into boarding.

If you do seek a veterinary assessment then please let your vet know if you a presenting a dog for cough symptoms, as they should take actions to prevent spread to other clients pets.

At Companion Vets we will bring your pet through our side entrance consult room to avoid interactions with other dogs in our waiting room.

When you arrive leave the coughing dog in the car and discuss with your vet or vet nurse first how they wish to manage this possible contagious infection.

IS THERE ANY TREATMENT?

The vet may be able to prescribe antibiotics for canine cough to target the Bordetella bacteria to help it clear faster. If needed, they may also prescribe an anti-inflammatory to sooth your dog’s throat.

If your dog has a cough then often good to reduce exercise and stop walking with a collar as that can stimulate ongoing coughing.

IS THERE A VACCINE?

Protection against some of the viruses that can cause kennel cough is included in puppy and annual booster vaccinations. These viruses include canine distemper, canine parainfluenza virus and canine adenovirus type two.

Your vet can also provide a vaccination against the main bacterial cause, Bordetella – this can be via an oral or nasal spray or an injection. Most boarding kennels and doggy day care require dogs to have the vaccination before their stay.

However, because kennel cough has a wide range of causes and strains, this vaccine cannot guarantee protection for your dog but does reduce infection rates and severity of infection.

Hope this information puts you at ease with your pet in these pandemic times.

If you have any concerns about a coughing dog this summer then isolate them and seek veterinary advice on how best to manage them.

Regards
Dr Craig Brighouse
Companion Vets