Kennel cough is an highly infectious respiratory infection spread via airborne droplets or through direct contact between dogs that have the infection and those without. It’s caused by several bacteria and viruses, including Bordetella bronchiseptica and parainfluenza virus.
Deliberate disinfecting kennels and areas where dogs tend to congregate is key to controlling the spread of kennel cough, such as using Care Biocide Plus to combat it.
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Symptoms
Kennel Cough (Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis) is an extremely contagious illness caused by viruses and bacteria, spreading easily in overcrowded places such as doggie day care centers, boarding facilities, grooming parlors, and training groups. Dog parks and pet stores can also become breeding grounds for this contagious infection, where dogs congregate en masse. Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria as well as Parainfluenza and Adenovirus viruses are the major agents behind its spread. Germs can spread through direct contact with infected saliva, mucus, or blood from infected dogs or via surfaces such as food and water bowls, kennel floors, toys and crates that contain bacteria or viruses; bacteria and viruses can survive for days on these surfaces.
Kennel cough’s most distinctive feature is a cough that sounds as though your dog is choking on something. They may cough up frothy white phlegm, have runny nose, and occasionally sneeze occasionally; lethargic dogs may lose appetite or develop fever and feel sick to their stomach, with some even showing symptoms similar to human influenza.
As soon as your dog develops kennel cough, they must remain home until their symptoms subside. This allows them to rest and recover in an environment away from other dogs and people while enjoying restful walks and visits to their vet. Once your pup feels better, clean and disinfect all objects that your pup comes into contact with such as food bowls, crates and toys using either bleach solution or pet-safe disinfectant products while they heal.
Kennel cough can live for several days on surfaces, making it easy for dogs to spread the infection. Airborne droplets can carry it even further afield. Because of this risk, it is crucial that dogs be isolated until they feel better and have been vaccinated against its main strains – this vaccination should be given every year in overcrowded spaces where dogs socialize regularly.
Treatment
Kennel cough is an infectious canine respiratory condition spread by direct contact with respiratory secretions from infected dogs (saliva, mucus and blood). Additionally, airborne droplets created when coughing, sneezing or barking dogs occur can spread the illness further as can contaminated objects such as toys and water bowls that have not been thoroughly cleaned are shared between infected canines. Kennel cough can also spread from bites from infected insects as well as secondhand smoke exposure from nearby smoking canines – something many pet parents fail to do!
Kennel cough can manifest itself with dry, hacking coughs that sound similar to your dog gagging or retching, runny nose and eye discharge as well as general feeling of being congested and congested. Symptoms typically develop within 14 days and last up to three weeks before dissipating on their own.
Vaccinating dogs regularly visiting boarding facilities, groomers, day care centers or other environments with many dogs is one effective way to combat kennel cough. Disinfection is equally crucial; dog parks or veterinary offices with lots of pups should employ disinfectant products like bleach, alcohol or quaternary ammonium compounds as a measure against disease outbreak.
Your veterinarian will conduct a complete physical exam and discuss any recent history of exposure between you and other dogs. Most often, this information alone is enough to diagnose kennel cough. However, in more complex cases they may recommend additional diagnostic testing such as blood work or radiographs to determine if an infection exists that needs treating as part of their initial diagnosis and treatment strategy.
Kennel cough is typically only contagious to animals; therefore, its effects should only last for about 24 hours after leaving an infected animal behind. If your pet becomes infected and needs frequent handling, wash your hands frequently with soapy water after handling, especially if they come in direct contact with you or their face/eyes; this is how most human infections such as colds spread – while its risk to humans is extremely rare; those with compromised immune systems should take extra precautions.
Prevention
Kennel cough is contagious thanks to viral and bacterial agents which travel via respiratory droplets carried through the air by wind currents, then settle on newly exposed dogs in close quarters such as dog parks, boarding facilities, animal rescue or shelter facilities, grooming salons or homes with multiple dogs that spend significant time together. Kennel cough can easily spread in areas where dogs gather closely together such as dog parks and doggie day cares – perfect places for its spread!
Once a virus or bacteria enter a new host, symptoms usually emerge within three to seven days after being exposed; such as dry hacking cough that sounds similar to honking. Additional symptoms could also include runny nose and sneezing.
Disease transmission occurs via airborne droplets, direct contact between dogs infected with Bordetella bronchiseptica or canine parainfluenza virus infections and surfaces contaminated with them, or via direct exposure. Once exposed to these agents, such as Bordetella bronchiseptica or canine parainfluenza virus infections or canine adenovirus infections, objects like water dishes and toys should remain free from contact until your pet has fully recovered from illness. It’s therefore wise to keep them away until they’ve fully recovered from illness.
There are steps you can take to limit the spread of kennel cough. Limit your pet’s exposure to areas with other dogs, thoroughly wash his hands and clothing after being in public spaces, and use disinfectants such as Care Biocide Plus that have been tested against the bacteria responsible.
Your best bet for treating kennel cough in your pup is making sure he gets plenty of rest and avoids overcrowded environments, allowing his immune system to fight the infection and speed his recovery faster. Also make sure he has access to fresh water as dehydration can make his cough worse – warm steamy water can soothe throats while soothing coughs; try giving warm steamy bath water or placing him in a bowl or sitting him in a hot tub, respectively. If he has wet cough symptoms you might consider purchasing humidifier for humidifying his throat and soothing his coughing coughs more effectively.
Disinfection
Kennel cough is caused by a mixture of bacteria and viruses, spreading via direct contact or sharing toys, water bowls or bedding between dogs. Infected dogs may also spread it via their breath. The incubation period for kennel cough typically lasts 2-14 days. Kennel cough infections can often be found at boarding facilities, grooming salons, dog parks or pet stores where numerous dogs frequent.
Kennel cough is most prevalent among puppies under six months of age and immunocompromised dogs, but any age of dog can contract it. Puppies under six months old and those lacking immunity are most susceptible. The virus or bacteria responsible can’t live on nonporous surfaces for long, so the best way to disinfect infected surfaces is with hot water mixed with detergent and bleach or using a steam cleaner reaching temperatures up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit that will kill all sorts of bacteria and viruses such as Bordetella bronchiseptica causing kennel cough.
Another method is using a commercial disinfectant containing chloride such as diluted bleach that contains chlorine ions; such a product can kill viruses or bacteria responsible for kennel cough in less than 24 hours.
Apart from disinfecting surfaces, another key step in treating kennel cough is isolation and quarantine. Any dog showing symptoms should be isolated for two weeks to reduce spread of illness among other pets. It’s vital that boarding facilities, grooming salons and other areas that frequented by dogs follow stringent cleaning and disinfection protocols; limiting nose-to-nose contact or sharing crates/water/food bowls/crates; as well as making sure all pups have up-to-date vaccinations against infectious tracheobronchitis/kennel cough (ITC/kennel cough).
There is now a vaccine against the bordetella bacteria responsible for infectious tracheobronchitis or “kennel cough”, usually administered as two separate shots two to four weeks apart, then boostered every six to 12 months as part of many boarding, day care, or training facilities’ requirements to ensure disease does not spread between canines.