Canine Cough

      Canine cough is a highly contagious infectious disease that contributes to upper and potentially lower, respiratory tract infections.  Frequently this cough is called “Kennel Cough”, which is a misnomer since many dogs who are infected with the cough have never been to a kennel.  Dogs can become infected by just being in contact with an infected dog who coughs or sneezes in their proximity, but they can also pick up the infection from drinking out of shared water bowls that an infected dog drank from, or even from their owners touching an infected dog, then patting them, without washing their hands or changing their clothing.  Dogs coming from rescue facilities, shelters and pet stores have increased risk of having been exposed to the infection, and dogs who come from outside Canada have greater risks of having been exposed to some organisms that are “foreign” to us.   The dogs who go to boarding kennels, groomers, dog parks, training facilities and veterinary hospitals are at increased risk of exposure.

     The symptoms of canine cough are coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge.  The cough is often a deep, hacking cough that can lead to retching.  The owners often think though there is something caught in the dog's throat with this type of cough, and on occasion the dogs cough is forceful enough that they may actually vomit, or cough up phlegm.    The majority of cases that we see in our geographical area are the coughs that involve the upper respiratory system, but occasionally there are cases that will affect the lower airways and contribute to pneumonia and these dogs are sicker.  Young dogs, old dogs, and dogs who have compromised immune systems due to other health problems are often the dogs who will be most severely affected.  

     The Canine cough is caused by a variety of different infectious organisms and viruses.  There are vaccines that protect against some, but not all of the potential agents that can contribute to the infection.  Additionally, there is no vaccine that is 100% effective.  There are different types of vaccines; some that are administered by dripping the vaccine in the nose, some that are administered orally, and some that are administered by injection. Some vaccines protect against some of the viruses and bacteria, but some just protect against the bacteria, but as mentioned earlier there are no vaccines that will protect against all potential agents.  Many of the dogs who become infected with the cough have been vaccinated with one of the vaccines, but that is not surprising since we can't protect against all of the infectious organisms, and often the dogs who are getting the vaccine are those at higher risk of exposure due to their lifestyle. Dogs who are vaccinated prior to exposure generally do not get as sick from the infection as those dogs who are not vaccinated.  If you are reading this, your dog is probably at increased risk of exposure and will likely benefit from vaccination, please speak with your veterinarian if your dog has not already been vaccinated for Canine cough.

     If your dog has had contact with an infected dog keep them at home and away from other dogs to avoid exposing other dogs to the disease.  The incubation period is 2-14 days, and the dogs are generally sick for 7-14 days, so they should remain in isolation for at least 14 days after the resolution of their symptoms.  Dogs who have not been protected by vaccination, and who are infected with Bordetella (the bacteria) can shed that bacteria for 1-3 months and therefore should be isolated for longer. Contact your veterinarian if your dog does start coughing, there are a number of treatments, and luckily many dogs (and especially the dogs who were vaccinated prior to exposure) just need to be kept isolated, and be given lots of TLC.
 

    This article was written for Quinte Canine by Dr. Andrea Giffen who is a veterinarian in Stirling, and a frequent participant in Quinte Canine classes.  She is not an infectious disease expert, but has been in general practice for over 30 years, and her dog Jimmy is kept up to date on his vaccinations, including the canine cough vaccine.