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.
Veterinary
Secrets Revealed
Learn how you can treat your beloved cats at home with over
1000 at-home pet health remedies, without going to the vet,
by visiting Dr.Andrew Jones's website here!
|
Dog Health Dog Care
