Kennel cough and how to prevent it.

At Greenbank boarding kennel we only accept dogs that have been immunised for kennel cough. If your pet is not immunised here is a short article to help you detect if your dog has contracted this disease.

What is kennel cough?

Kennel cough is normally recognised as Infectious Tracheo bronchitis. The pathogen responsible for this disease is called Bordetella bronchiseptica. Humid climates like the ones we have in the UK increase the risk your dog might get kennel cough. The disease cannot be carried by humans but other animals such as cats and pigs can carry this disease readily.

A dog can get the disease by breathing in the viruses and bacteria that are present in the atmosphere when near an infected animal or place. The dog has to be in an environment where the viruses present for a sustained time to contract it.

If your dog does happen to contract kennel cough he or she should be okay as long as you consult a vet right away.

Kennel cough symptoms

The symptoms include a dry sounding cough due to the inflammation of your dog’s throat or upper respiratory tract. Your dog can start coughing up some white milky substance. Other symptoms include swollen eyelids that look like conjunctivitis also pnasal discharge is possible.

Young Pups can get this disease quicker than mature dogs. Unlike people where the influenza virus is destroyed within several weeks. The kennel cough pathogen remains for months in the dog’s body.

Can take up to 2 weeks before the symptoms become obvious to the dog’s owner.

Kennel cough treatment

It is recommended that you get kennel cough treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible, it certainly is not a deadly disease but it can escalate into something bigger if it’s left untreated.

Never give your dog cough syrup meant for humans. By doing so it can prove deadly to your pet as most cough syrups available off the shelf have an active ingredients of pheniramine and Guaifenes which dogs are intolerant to.

It’s best to get your dog into a vet as soon as possible but in the meantime here are a few recommendations we can give you.

• Ensure your dog is in a clean safe environment that has lots of ventilation.
• Keep your dog away from other animals especially other dogs so they don’t get the disease too.
• Wet damp environments make the condition worse so make sure your dog is kept in a low humidity environment that is free of damp.
• When it comes to feeding your pet ensure that he gets lots of liquids down to keep him hydrated.

Once at the vet

It is likely that the vet will do a full medical examination of your pet to ensure that he or she is not in danger.

The vet might also do a few other checks just to rule out other infections or diseases. Other possible diseases could be canine distemper, pneumonia, or influenza which the vet will want to cross out.

Getting your dog immunised against kennel cough is the recommended way to ensure your dog never gets this disease. If you ever go away on holiday and want to leave your dog in a quality boarding kennel you will have to show that your dog has been immunised for kennel cough.

Author: Sarah Robinson - Lancaster Kennels