Kennel cough is a common and easily spread dog disease. How is it transmitted, what progress does it have and how is it treated? Even though it cannot be transmitted to humans, it may endanger other pets in the household.
The technical term for kennel cough is infectious tracheobronchitis. In fact, it is a common name for acute and contagious dog diseases that affect lower respiratory tract and are accompanied by coughing fits. The cause of kennel cough might be bacteria or virus and it is a common disease among dogs. It is transmitted by droplet infection and therefore, it is spread quickly. It’s enough when two dogs in a park sniff each other.
If the course of the disease is normal, it lasts a week or two. However, dry cough may be present even for several weeks. It looks like something got stuck in the dog’s neck and it chokes. It can also cough mucus or white foam out. It gets worse when a collar is pulled or with another neck irritation, but also with strain.
Besides the cough, dogs don’t usually have other symptoms or there are only minor signs of cold, such as nasal or eye discharge. If the disease is more serious, also fever might occur, the dog is sad, feels blue and it can progress to pneumonia. The risk is the highest in young puppies, older dogs and immuno-compromised dogs or dogs with auto-immune diseases.
As it is usually a viral infection, there’s nothing else that can help than relax. The dog should be kept calm and warm. Recovery can be supported by plenty of fluids. The dog should be motivated to drink, we can also give it diluted broth or add a part of a meat can into its water bowl. However, don’t forget to change the water often in this case. Otherwise, bacteria will replicate in the bowl. The dog may refuse to eat dry food because of the sore throat. Sometimes, it’s enough to soak them but in other cases, it might be necessary to switch to complete high-quality cans.
It’s usually not necessary to go to a vet if the dog is otherwise healthy and you can treat it at home on your own. If you need to be assured it’s okay, call the vet and discuss the dog’s condition with him/her. (S)he might also tell you to try ribwort syrup which helps with coughing up. However, let him/her always advise you on the dosage.
The kennel cough cannot be transmitted to humans. However, some of its originators, for example, bordetella, may cause cats’ or rabbits’ runny noses. It may even cause fatal pneumonia of guinea pigs.
Has your dog ever had kennel cough? Or to be more specific, have you ever treated it with this disease? Vaccination against the most common originators is a part of commonly combined vaccines which do not prevent the transmission but reduce the symptoms so much that you might not even notice them.
Every one of us has for sure encountered diarrhoea in our fuzzy friend. Usually, there’s nothing to fuss about, the body reacts to food that it isn’t capable to digest or that didn’t do it good. However, it is good to know, when we are capable of...
I have been sharing with you my experience with dogs and other animals for quite some time now and it occurred to me to wander a little bit into history as well, but into an interesting one! I’d like to introduce you to several well-known dog...
Allergy is a disproportionate reaction of the immunity system to common stimuli. It cannot be cured, but we can suppress its manifestations. In the last years, allergies in pets and dogs especially are on the rise. Currently, about 10% of house-dogs...
Today, we are going to take a look at the Feline Infectious Peritonitis - FIP, an utterly exceptional virus illness that always has a fatal end. Most of the cats get into contact with the viruses that cause FIP in their lifetime, even though the...
We can divide dog owners into two groups. The ones that allow the dog in bed and those that feel that this is no option. Let’s take a look at what such bed sharing with a dog actually entails.
If you like going on treks with your fuzzy friends, geocaching is something precisely for you. This way, you will liven up your trips and maybe you even discover places that you wouldn’t have found otherwise. I and my pack can’t get enough of it.
Contrary to dogs, cats have a strong bond with the place where they live. That’s why moving is very stressful for them and this stress may cause a number of diseases. It’s a good idea to plan everything well, so that you could make the situation of a...
Even though the dogs went through long years of domestication, they still retain fundamental instincts as we do. They might not be as strong as in wild dogs, but they still play a very significant role in the life of a dog and in their behaviour. So if...
Even though it’s been a long time since our four-legged furry friends lived a feral life, they still have the laws of the pack rooted deep down inside them. It is not acquired behaviour, the need to live in a pack is determined by genetics. And if...
It is no news that the dog isn’t only a pet and that it can also help saving human lives in various catastrophes. But have you ever thought about what it means for dogs to become rescuers? You haven’t? Well, then it’s the right time to set off together...
The usual pregnancy period in female dogs is indicated at about 58 – 65 days, the average is 63 days. In case of the nutrition of a pregnant female, possible changes in diet can be likened to the changes in diet of pregnant women. Pregnant female dogs...
The most frequent reason why your dog starts to gain weight is simple, as in most of people: they consume more energy than they spend. Some owners wave their arm at a well-intended warning that their pet has gained weight, stating that the dog is...
