What
is Kennel Cough?
Kennel cough or infectious tracheobronchitis
is a common and highly communicable respiratory disease in
dogs. The disease is characterized
by a dry, hacking cough that sounds as if something is lodged
in the dog's throat, and can be quite forceful that its leads
to retching or heaving.
Healthy dogs can easily acquire the disease in vaccination
clinics, animal shelters, veterinary hospitals, local parks,
kennels, dog shows, grooming parlors or animal boarding places
with infected dogs. Crowded situations where the air is very
warm and ventilation is poor are a potential source of kennel
cough.
Kennel cough can be caused by one or a combination of the
following airborne agents (either as the causative or secondary
agent): canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus 2, canine
parainfluenza virus, the bordetella bronchiseptica or other
gram negative bacteria. The condition is triggered when two
or more of these pathogens attack the dog at the same time,
leading to bronchial and tracheal inflammation. Other signs
of kennel cough include thick yellow or green nasal discharge,
rhinitis and conjunctivitis in some dogs.
A dog will exhibit clinical signs of kennel cough between
five to 10 days following infection from carriers. Although
the condition sounds serious, the self-limiting nature of
the disease makes it generally harmless, with dogs recovering
without any major effect a week or two after. Kennel cough
symptoms can persist for up to 20 days. Owners should note
that extremely young and old dogs may develop serious respiratory
complications from the disease.
The disease is usually diagnosed by a veterinarian
by checking on the dog's history and a physical exam. The
trademark cough can be triggered by simply massaging the animal's
trachea or larynx.
In cases where dogs have fever,
depression or unusual lung sounds, veterinarians may require
a chest x-ray, complete blood count and a laboratory analysis
to check for microorganisms in the airways. These diagnostic
tests will help establish if pneumonia is already developed
or canine distemper and other infections have already set
in.
Affected dogs usually remain active and maintain appetite
levels despite kennel cough. However, since the trachea becomes
highly sensitive, owners should loosen or avoid leashes and
collars to minimize the possibility of tracheal damage, particularly
when their pets have a coughing spasm.
Since dogs often recover from the disease by themselves shortly
after contraction, treatment usually focuses on cough control.
Butorphanol and hydrocodone are two common control drugs given
for kennel cough, although pet owners should first consult
their veterinarians for advice on the best treatment for their
dogs, particularly for antibiotics in more severe cases. These
cases - some of which could lead to pneumonia - typically
call for isolation of the infected pet to prevent the disease
from spreading.
Vaccinations are another preventive step. There is a subcutaneous
vaccine of modified live parainfluenza, distemper and adenovirus
2 and an intranasal B bronchochiseptica vaccination. Similar
to human patients, vaccination schedule and dosage varies
across dogs in terms of age, with activities also considered
by veterinarians.
Aggressive dogs are the ideal patient for injectable vaccination,
particularly if they are the type that bites when their muzzle
is handled. Owners should remember that this treatment will
not prevent kennel cough 100%, but will make infection less
severe.
Two-week old puppies can already receive intranasal vaccination,
which gives 10-12 months immunity and followed with annual
booster shots. This form offers faster immunity compared to
injectables, as it stimulates local immunity by targeting
the site where the infection naturally occurs.
The DHLLP vaccine is the standard vaccine for kennel cough,
with the treatment for adenovirus 2 applicable also to adenovirus
1 - the canine hepatitis agent. Owners must remember that
vaccination will no longer be effective if their dogs are
already incubating kennel cough.
Some veterinarians prescribe a cough suppressant-antibiotic
combinations following diagnosis. One recently developed antibiotic,
azithromycin, has been found highly effective, particularly
for mycoplasmal tracheobronchitis. Another option is the sulfa/trimethoprim
combination.
Since multiple organisms cause kennel cough, immunization
may not eliminate totally eliminate the problem. Owners should
also consider preventive measures to limit exposure, including
refraining other dogs - both familiar
and unfamiliar - from sharing food and toys with their pets.
In addition, a good number of veterinarians
feel that no treatment may actually be the best course of
action, as antibiotics could later weaken a dog's resistance
and increase exposure to pneumonia and other more serious
complications.
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