Canine Kennel Cough

Canine kennel cough is a serious illness. Sick dog symptoms of dog kennel cough include fever, cough, lethargy and more. Dog sickness needs to be attended to as soon as possible to minimize risk.

If you suspect that your canine has contracted kennel cough, visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. Canine kennel cough is one condition that many dogs will have at least once in their life, similar to a common cold in humans.

The medical names for dog kennel cough are Tracheobronchitis or Bordetellosis. And just like a human cold, kennel cough spreads very quickly among other dogs.

In the world of dog sickness, kennel cough begins with one or more viruses that the canine comes in contact with (usually through another canine).

This cough is named canine or dog kennel cough because it often spreads quickly in kennel or dog day care environments. Once the dog becomes ill, canine kennel cough generally lasts for about a week. There are some vaccines to protect dogs from these viruses, but that won’t help much once your canine is already sick.

Sick dog symptoms take a while to develop from kennel cough. It may take as much as two weeks before you even know your canine is sick.

That means the dog continues to expose other canines to the virus. Worse still, even if an owner catches the cough early, an animal can continue to infect others for 3 months (especially dogs with poor immune systems).

If you think a little bit about what croup sounds like in humans, kennel cough is similar. This is a very dry, harsh cough (almost barking type of cough) that may cause the canine to gag or retch. Some dogs also develop a runny nose. If left untreated, other potential sick dog symptoms include:

• lethargy
• fever
• food refusal
• pneumonia
• death

Since kennel cough typically develops after a time of being housed with other dogs, the prime time to watch for these symptoms is when you have to kennel your pup.

Two treatments exist for this condition. If a dog’s condition is caught early on, antibiotics may be prescribed along with a cough suppressant. If the sickness progresses, steroids may be necessary to clear out the liquid in the lungs.

During recovery or treatment periods, vets recommend using some other type of collar on the dog since the throat will be naturally irritated. Also, avoiding other canines is necessary to protect their health. You will not be able to kennel your canine while he or she is recovering; and perhaps not for quite some time afterward.

A vaccine can be administered to puppies at the age of three weeks old. It takes about 4 days for the protection to be fully active. Just like a flu shot, some dogs develop a mild case of canine kennel cough from the injection. Nonetheless, it reduces the risk of critical cases of the sickness greatly.

Such vaccines are strongly recommended for pet owners who show their dogs, and for those who have to frequently kennel them.

Canine kennel cough is characterized by a rough, dry cough. In many dogs it will rectify itself but the dog remains a threat to other canines for quite a while, which is why vets often prescribe antibiotics.

It is wise to contact your vet at the first signs of kennel cough to get advice. If, at any time, other symptoms develop like those listed previously, a visit to the vet is strongly recommended.

We also recommend a product called PetAlive KC-Defense Formula. It naturally treats and immunizes your pet against acute kennel cough and other respiratory infections and is an FDA registered natural remedy containing 100 percent homeopathic ingredients.

Do you have any remedies that you feel worked better than others? A great veterinarian to recommend? A dog sickness or canine health story you'd like to share? Please do so here:

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