Kennel cough
Encyclopedia
Kennel cough is a highly contagious canine
illness characterized by inflammation of the upper respiratory system
. It can be caused by viral infections such as canine distemper
, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, or canine respiratory coronavirus
, or bacterial infections such as Bordetella bronchiseptica
. It is so named because the infection can spread quickly among dogs, such as in the close quarters of a kennel
.
and bacteria
l causes of kennel cough are spread through the air by infected dogs sneezing and coughing. It can also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and through direct contact. It is highly contagious, even days or weeks after symptoms disappear. Symptoms begin usually 2 to 3 days after exposure. The disease can progress to pneumonia
.
or after excitement or exercise. The presence of a fever
varies from case to case. The disease can last initially from 10–20 days and can rebreak when the dog is put into a stressful situation which puts stress on the dog's immune system. Diagnosis is made by seeing these symptoms; having a history of exposure is also helpful but not always found, as kennel cough is easily spread through contact with contaminated surfaces such as the ground, toys, and sidewalks.
s are given to treat any bacteria
l infection present. Cough suppressants
are used if the cough is not productive (nothing is being coughed up). Prevention is by vaccinating
for canine adenovirus, distemper
, parainfluenza, and Bordetella
. In kennels, the best prevention is to keep all the cages disinfected. Most kennels will not board dogs without proof of vaccination.
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
illness characterized by inflammation of the upper respiratory system
Respiratory system
The respiratory system is the anatomical system of an organism that introduces respiratory gases to the interior and performs gas exchange. In humans and other mammals, the anatomical features of the respiratory system include airways, lungs, and the respiratory muscles...
. It can be caused by viral infections such as canine distemper
Canine distemper
Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects animals in the families Canidae, Mustelidae, Mephitidae, Hyaenidae, Ailuridae, Procyonidae, Pinnipedia, some Viverridae and Felidae...
, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, or canine respiratory coronavirus
Canine coronavirus
Canine coronavirus is a virus of the family Coronaviridae that causes a highly contagious intestinal disease worldwide in dogs. It was discovered in 1971 in Germany during an outbreak in sentry dogs.-Pathology:...
, or bacterial infections such as Bordetella bronchiseptica
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Bordetella bronchiseptica is a small, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium of the genus Bordetella. It can cause infectious bronchitis, but rarely infects humans. Closely related to B. pertussis—the obligate human pathogen that causes pertussis or whooping cough—B...
. It is so named because the infection can spread quickly among dogs, such as in the close quarters of a kennel
Kennel
A kennel is the name given to any structure or shelter for dogs. A kennel is a doghouse, run, or other small structure in which a dog is kept...
.
Infection
Both viralVirus
A virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms. Viruses infect all types of organisms, from animals and plants to bacteria and archaea...
and bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
l causes of kennel cough are spread through the air by infected dogs sneezing and coughing. It can also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and through direct contact. It is highly contagious, even days or weeks after symptoms disappear. Symptoms begin usually 2 to 3 days after exposure. The disease can progress to pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
Symptoms
Symptoms can include a harsh, dry hacking/coughing, retching, sneezing, snorting, gagging or vomiting in response to light pressing of the tracheaVertebrate trachea
In tetrapod anatomy the trachea, or windpipe, is a tube that connects the pharynx or larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air. It is lined with pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium cells with goblet cells that produce mucus...
or after excitement or exercise. The presence of a fever
Fever
Fever is a common medical sign characterized by an elevation of temperature above the normal range of due to an increase in the body temperature regulatory set-point. This increase in set-point triggers increased muscle tone and shivering.As a person's temperature increases, there is, in...
varies from case to case. The disease can last initially from 10–20 days and can rebreak when the dog is put into a stressful situation which puts stress on the dog's immune system. Diagnosis is made by seeing these symptoms; having a history of exposure is also helpful but not always found, as kennel cough is easily spread through contact with contaminated surfaces such as the ground, toys, and sidewalks.
Treatment and prevention
AntibioticAntibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
s are given to treat any bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
l infection present. Cough suppressants
Cough medicine
A cough medicine is a medicinal drug used in an attempt to treat coughing and related conditions. For dry coughs, treatment with cough suppressants may be attempted to suppress the body's urge to cough...
are used if the cough is not productive (nothing is being coughed up). Prevention is by vaccinating
Vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate the immune system of an individual to develop adaptive immunity to a disease. Vaccines can prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by many pathogens...
for canine adenovirus, distemper
Canine distemper
Canine distemper is a viral disease that affects animals in the families Canidae, Mustelidae, Mephitidae, Hyaenidae, Ailuridae, Procyonidae, Pinnipedia, some Viverridae and Felidae...
, parainfluenza, and Bordetella
Bordetella
Bordetella is a genus of small , Gram-negative coccobacilli of the phylum proteobacteria. Bordetella species, with the exception of B. petrii, are obligate aerobes as well as highly fastidious, or difficult to culture. Three species are human pathogens ; one of these Bordetella is a genus of small...
. In kennels, the best prevention is to keep all the cages disinfected. Most kennels will not board dogs without proof of vaccination.