Diving More in Depth with Kennel Cough/Canine Cough/Puppy Cold:
In owning a pet care business there is few things that can bring anxiety to the business and pet owners alike, one being Kennel Cough and the other is giardia. Both are just as common as passing a GI bug or the common cold for us and both are very misunderstood canine health problems for the general public.
Doggie Daycares, boarding facilities and groomers should be cleaning and picking up dog waste as soon as it happens and dogs showing any signs of an upper respiratory should be separated immediately. By pet care facilities doing their job and you, the owners doing yours (vaccinations, fecal tests, and not bringing in sick pups), there should be little to no break outs or at least few and far between. Of course sometimes things just happen, like when the whole office or classroom catches something. Basically on our watch the only way a dog is going to get an intestinal parasite from another dog is if they beat us to it if you get what I mean……
Kennel Cough is a different story and can be sneaky:
Kennel Cough is a highly contagious upper-respiratory disease that is spread by an airborne virus. The incubation is usually 3-7 days. The main symptom is a gagging cough, sometimes accompanied by sneezing and nasal discharge. This usually shows up out of nowhere in an otherwise healthy dog. Most of the time the cough does not develop into anything more serious however, just as with the common cold in people it can lower the resistance to other disease which increases susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections, and so the owner must observe their dog closely to avoid complications.
Recovering from kennel cough is the same as recovering from the common cold, it must run its course. Sometimes antibiotics are prescribed to prevent secondary bacterial infections and sometimes cough suppressants can be prescribed if your dog is excessively coughing to the point where it is interrupting normal activity. There are over the counter medications and home remedies that you can use (always talk to your veterinarian) if it is a mild case.
The most misunderstood thing about kennel cough, is that it only occurs only in kennels. This is not true, These viruses can be present anywhere, and can travel distances through the air, they can affect any dog, even one which never leaves its own back yard or house. Dogs can be exposed while running loose or while being walked near other dogs, or from a dog or a person that has been exposed carrying it. So does it only occur in kennels, NO, but It is more likely to be present and occur where there is a greater population of dogs such as dog parks, veterinarian clinics, pet stores, training facilities, kennels, dog shows, daycares, groomers.
Why is the chances of a dog coming down with Kennel Cough greater in these situations such as a daycare and boarding facilities then just being at home? Because the greater number of potentially contagious dogs they may cross paths with then staying home. Dogs in these scenarios and environments can be stressed(good and bad) and the excitement of being in unfamiliar environment, can result them having a lowered resistance to diseases, this is the same reason why children in school environments are more likely to catch the flu or common cold and why adults in the working environment or travel a lot are more at risk.
The good news is that the more frequently a dog is exposed to these situations with the same pack of dogs (daycare, training, boarding) the greater are the chances that they will acquire immunity to these diseases over time. Chewie’s has had 2 mini out-breaks in 5 years where only 5% of the weekly dogs had a mild case of Kennel Cough, both times were because dogs went to another dog facility and brought it with them.
Kennel Cough is often seasonal and tends to effect in areas. Veterinarians will see cases from a different dog facilities as well as individual dogs. They see individual dogs because more dog owners are active, they bring their dogs everywhere or at least for walks around the neighborhood, and like I stated above they can pick up illness and diseases this way.
There many viruses/strains that are included under the “Kennel Cough” name, about 28 although you can only vaccinate for a handful. It is proven with updated Distemper Combo vaccines and updated Bordetella vaccines your chances of your dog only having mild symptoms if contracted is greatly improved.
What should you look for to minimize your dog’s chances of contracting kennel cough in a doggie daycare, training facility, boarding facility or grooming facility and some dog parks:
1) They require vaccination for distemper, rabies and kennel cough. Depending on your area in the country Canine Flu vaccine maybe recommended.
2) Make sure your dog’s facility has proper ventilation.
3) Ask their cleaning protocols, main areas should be cleaned 2-3 times a day and if there is an known outbreak in the area cleaning should be bumped up.
4) All kennels and bedding should be changed and disinfected in between boarding pets.
5) Grooming tools and area should be cleaned and disinfected.
6) All bowls should be washed and changed out throughout the day.
7) All toys should be disinfected twice a day and bumped up if there is a known problem in the area.
8) They keep track and notify owners of potential risk. (We send an email if 10 dogs with like symptoms in a certain time frame report back to us)
What should you do if you think your dog has Kennel Cough:
Monitor closely and keep track of your dogs, activity, when the coughing occurs, appetite and breathing. Write down the date that the symptoms started and think back to the where they could have potentially picked it up. This will come in useful for your veterinarian.
If you feel that your dog may have a mild case of kennel cough it will normally resolve on its own. There is over the counter and home remedies that your veterinarian may have you try, always discuss any treatment with your veterinarian so you know you have the correct medication/supplement and dosage.
It is also very important that you inform any place that your dog has visited in the last week so that they can be informed. Tell other dog owners that you have been around or if your pup has had any play dates, see if they have any symptoms and warn them of the potential risk.
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP YOUR DOG AWAY FROM DAYCARES, DOG PARKS, GROOMERS, ETC. IF YOU HAVE VISITORS INFORM THEM SO THEY CAN WASH UP AND CHANGE CLOTHES PRIOR TO SEEING THEIR OWN DOG. TRY TO KEEP YOUR DOG ISOLATED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO DECREASE THE CHANCES OF SPREADING IT TO OTHERS. THIS SHOULD BE DONE UNTIL YOUR DOG HAS FINISHED MEDICATION AND HAS NOT BEEN COUGHING FOR 5 DAYS.
Home Remedies (Consult your Veterinarian):
~ Place a humidifier in your dog’s area, or let them sit in the bathroom while you take a shower.
~ OTC Cough medicine
~ Vitamin C
~ Honey
~ Making sure you get your dogs to drink plenty of water. You can add low sodium/low fat broth.
When you should see the veterinarian:
~ When coughing interferes with normal actives
~ When coughing interferes with sleeping
~ Lethargy
~ Loss of Appetite
~ Fever
~ Difference in breathing pattern or difficulty in breathing.
When can your dog return to its normal routine, of parks, daycare, trails etc? This can vary with each case or recommendation by the veterinarian. The general rule of thumb we use at Chewie’s is no coughing or sneezing for 5 days off of medication.