Asked on the Dog Forum by Anonymous on 4/10/02, 4:51 pm
Q: what is kennel cough?
i've noticed some of yall talking bout kennel cough what is it? and how does it effect the dog ?is it life threating?
Answered by catsluvme99 on 4/10/02, 4:59 pm
A: what is kennel cough?
> i've noticed some of yall talking bout kennel
> cough what is it? and how does it effect the dog
> ?is it life threating?
It is a nick name that was tagged to an upper respiratory virus. The name stems from the fact that it is an air borne virus and is highly contagious especially in a "kennel" environment where everyone is breathing the same air.
Kennel cough in itself is not life threatening but sometimes can lead to pneumonia or other complications, especially in a dog whose immune system is already taxed for other reasons.
It effects the dog by causing a hacking cough. Left alone the virus will run it's course in about 10 days. If a dog is coughing incessantly or is not eating it should be seen by a vet. Of course any cough should be examined by a vet as there are many different causes of coughing in a dog.
Hope this answers your question, Denise
Answered by Karen Peak on 4/10/02, 6:00 pm
A: what is kennel cough?
However, to add, in senior dogs, dogs with a suppressed immune system and young puppies, Kennel Cough can be more complicated. And there are a couple forms - bacterial (bordetella) and viral (canine parainfluenza). So even if a dog is vaccinated for Bordetella, it can still get the viral form. And now it is beign recommended that Bordetella be vaccinated for twice a year as the vaccine wears down between six to nine months after giving.
