Facts on Kennel Cough

Kennel cough is spread through aerosolized bacteria or viruses, so your dog doesn’t have to be boarded at a kennel to get exposed. Vaccination for kennel cough may be recommended for your dog based upon his or her level of exposure to other dogs as well as your dog’s age, health status and predisposition toward respiratory disease. The Kennel Cough vaccine is protective against the bacteria bordatella bronchiseptica. The term “kennel cough”, however, is used to describe a contagious cough that a dog got from another dog, and the infective agent may not be the bordatella bronchiseptica bacteria that your dog was vaccinated for.

Kennel Cough can be caused by the bordatella bacteria, but also by the parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, herpes virus, canine reovirus and mycoplasma canis. The cough associated with this disease tends to be a dry, hacking cough that sometimes ends in a gag or retch, sometimes sounding like “there’s something stuck in my dog’s throat!”. Just like bronchitis in people, the cough can be mild and self-limiting or, depending upon the infectious agent and the individual’s health status, may progress to life-threatening pneumonia.

Your vet will help determine how serious your dog’s infection is, as well as whether medical therapy is indicated or simply supportive therapy as described below.