Help for Kennel Cough (Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease) – Dogster

Room 3 looked like a barnyard. It was an unusually slow (and peaceful) Monday morning at my vet clinic. Any illusion of tranquility was shattered by what could aptly be described as an eruption of quivering goose horns against the walls. Either someone mistook me for a farm vet, or I had a pretty good idea what was on the other side of the exam room door – and it wasn’t a creature. winged.

“Chester caught a cough at the dog park!” It was the greeting offered by a frantic-looking woman clinging to 4-year-old Chester, a normally loud Jack Russell Terrier, who looked like he was about to burst into another coughing fit. When I entered the room, Chester jumped out of his arms and landed at my feet, and immediately froze, head bowed, neck extended, and legs spread for a series of honks. Once the jag passed, he started to pounce again to give me a good hello headbutt.

“He’s been coughing like this for three or four days. Neither of us can sleep, and he started acting a little lazy last night.

On examination, Chester had low fever, mucopurulent nasal discharge (yellow-green and somewhat thick as opposed to clear, watery nasal discharge), normal lung sounds, and was quite bright and alert, although I could tell that he was not completely himself. He was currently immune to the highly contagious canine influenza (CIV), but not the more common “kennel cough vaccine”. Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine adenovirus type 2 and parainfluenza. His mother said she skipped that shot, “because he never boarded.” Unfortunately, dog parks can pose a significant risk of many infectious diseases, and Chester’s mom may have been right about the source of the problem.

What causes kennel cough?

Kennel cough, often referred to as canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD) or infectious tracheobronchitis, is considered one of the most common respiratory infections in dogs. Many organisms can cause kennel cough, including bacteria, viruses, and mycoplasmas. Most simple cases consist of a combination of Bordetelle bacteria with parainfluenza or adenovirus type 2 viruses.

While Chester demonstrated the classic “goose horn cough” which is easily induced by massaging the throat area, there are many causes of coughing in dogs. In fact, I only consider “kennel cough” when there is a clear route of infection and other conditions such as heart disease, collapsing trachea, and even allergies are ruled out. In Chester’s case, all the evidence pointed to CIRD as the culprit for his cough.

Diagnosing Kennel Cough

The diagnosis of kennel cough is usually made on clinical signs. In severe cases, chest X-rays and blood tests may be evaluated. Unless it is a kennel or shelter outbreak, or a decisive case in a vaccinated dog, I generally refrain from performing nasal, tracheal, or bronchial cultures in individual cases. .

The rationale is as follows:

1. the vast majority of cases are self-limiting and will improve without medical treatment;
2. by the time I get the results, most dogs are better; and
3. if it is viral, the treatment is only supportive, meaning nothing changes.

Kennel Cough Treatment

Treatment depends on each dog’s condition. Most cases will resolve within 10 days with only basic supportive care for:

• Rest
• quarantine
• reduce barking triggers
• hydration
• Good nutrition

I understand that many dog ​​parents expect to go home with a course of antibiotics, but antibacterials are medically unnecessary and could potentially lead to antibiotic resistance and more serious infections down the road.

If the patient is happy and alert with no fever or purulent discharge, antibiotics are not indicated. For a mild case like Chester’s, with fever and mucopurulent discharge, I prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic, most often doxycycline. For patients with pneumonia, combinations of antibiotics, such as clindamycin with enrofloxacin, are good choices.

For dogs who are coughing so much they can’t sleep (or keep their human family awake), I would recommend:

• a cough suppressant such as hydrocodone, butorphanol, or liquid codeine/promethazine
• a humidifier
• nebulize certain medications in more advanced cases

Kennel Cough Prevention

Kennel cough prevention has never been so convenient and effective. Depending on a dog’s risk profile, there are injections, intranasal drops, and even oral vaccines to protect against the most common infectious organisms. Most dogs should be vaccinated annually. I also recommend the Canine Influenza Vaccination (CIV) for frequent travelers or those visiting parks, shows, or kennels.

For the first three days, Chester needed a cough suppressant and a humidifier to help him get through the night. By day six of treatment, Chester’s dog mum said “he was almost normal and only coughing a few times a day, usually after running around during potty breaks.” It’s a JRT. He has a yard to guard.

By our follow-up visit two weeks later, Chester’s cough was a faded memory. The exam room was pleasantly absent of any honking, bleating, or other cacophonous farm animal vocalizations. The family was once again enjoying restful nights, and Chester resumed his duties as court watchman.

Three months later, Chester was vaccinated against kennel cough and allowed to visit the dog park. That Christmas we received a “Chester Card” featuring a smiling Chester. A “paw-written” note read, “HONK if you like JRTs! I liked it.