Your dog is a member of your family. You work hard to ensure that he eats right and remains healthy, including taking your pup to the dog park and routine visits to the veterinarian.
When your family goes on vacation, you look for dog-friendly places. However, there are times when your dog has to be boarded while you’re gone. You might even have your pup spend his days at a doggie daycare.
The one thing you can’t do for your dog is keep him isolated from other dogs. Like humans, when dogs come into contact with other pups, they pass germs back and forth between each other, including kennel cough. Below, we will discuss everything you need to know about kennel cough.
What Is Kennel Cough?
Kennel cough is also called infectious canine tracheobronchitis. For dogs, it’s a contagious disease that transfers easily from one pup to the next. It’s a respiratory infection that inflames the lungs and throats of an infected dog, similar to a human viral infection. At Canine Country Club & Feline Inn, we require all dogs to be vaccinated to keep them safe and healthy.
Most dogs will contract kennel cough at least once because it is highly contagious. Senior dogs, canines with a weakened immune system, and puppies are the most at-risk group for the dangers of kennel cough.
Causes of Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is usually transmitted from one dog to the next through the air. The root cause can be viral bacteria, such as Bordetella bronchiseptica, a virus, including canine parainfluenza, or mycoplasma.
In most cases, the dog needs to be exposed to more than one pathogen to come down with kennel cough. The result is that dogs who spend much time around other canines — such as at the dog park, doggie daycare, pet boarding, and other populated areas— may develop kennel cough.
Signs and Symptoms of Kennel Cough
If your dog is around other pups, and one of them has kennel cough, he’ll start showing symptoms around three days after the exposure to the infected dog. Here is a list of signs or symptoms to look for:
-
- Consistent, nagging cough
- Lethargic behavior
- Dry heaves and retching
- Watery discharge from the nose
Diagnosing and Treating Kennel Cough
If you believe your dog has kennel cough, there are some tests that your veterinarian might run after reviewing your dog’s medical history. These tests can help your vet get a clearer picture of your pup’s overall health. Depending on the dog’s condition, there are a few ways that your vet might treat kennel cough, including:
-
- Rest
- Proper hydration
- Antibiotics
- Anti-inflammatory medication
Your dog might require only the first two for a mild case of kennel cough.
Preventing Kennel Cough
While most dogs get kennel cough at least once, you’ll want to do everything you can do to prevent your pup from catching it in the first place. Plus, we want your dog to be able to come to stay with us! At Canine Country Club & Feline Inn, we require all furry visitors to be vaccinated against Kennel Cough with their Bordatella vaccine. Vaccinations might be identified as:
-
- Canine adenovirus
- Bordetella bronchiseptica
- Canine parainfluenza virus
Your vet can help you decide the best course of action based on your pet’s age and overall health.
Dog & Pet Boarding in Phoenix
While it is important to understand Kennel Cough and keep your pup healthy, have no fear. When you need your dog, or other pets boarded while you go on vacation or have work done on your home, you should look for a place that requires vaccination against kennel cough, like Canine Country Club & Feline Inn. We welcome your furry family members with open arms. Contact us today!
Boarding
The staff at Canine Country Club & Feline Inn understands your pets are part of your family. We promise your dog or cat will be a part of our family while they are here, whether it’s to spend a day or a whole vacation with us. Learn more about our boarding services here:
We believe your best friend deserves only the best, schedule their getaway today!