Kennel cough: The whooping cough of dogs.


I’m sure you’ve heard of kennel cough. But how do you know if your dog is at risk for this awful cough? You may be wondering: how dangerous is kennel cough to my dog? HOW does my dog get kennel cough? WHEN should my dog be vaccinated for kennel cough?

I’ve compiled a list of commonly asked questions about the illness and the vaccine and hope this answers any questions you may have. 

What is kennel cough?

Kennel cough is a common term for a canine respiratory infection also known as “infectious tracheobronchitis”. Your dog is most likely to contract this airway infection in an indoor, crowded environment like a kennel.  In open air spaces like parks, transmission is much less likely to occur. However, if dogs share water bowls, touch noses, or play closely together the risk of transmitting the infection is increased.

Bordetella is the bacteria that frequently found in this airway infection. Heard of whooping cough in people?  Well, that’s caused by a human bordetella bacteria (bordetella pertussis). Kennel cough is also caused by a bordetella bacteria: bordetella bronchiseptica.  Infectious tracheobronchitis is the term to describe and infection that causes irritation and inflammation of the windpipe (trachea) and lower airways (bronchii). This inflammation of the windpipe causes the classic hoarse cough and retch you see in dogs with kennel cough.

What are the symptoms of kennel cough? 

Kennel cough is well known for causing a loud honking cough paired with expectoration of white phlegm. This is called a “terminal retch”.  Kennel cough sounds like your dog is choking on something. I often have people concerned that their dog has something stuck in their throat, but the actual cause is kennel cough. More rarely kennel cough will cause a dog to develop yellow mucoid discharge from their noses, fever, lethargy, and pneumonia secondary to kennel cough.  

Nasal discharge in a dog with kennel cough
In addition to coughing, kennel cough can cause symptoms of lethargy and nasal discharge.

How is infectious tracheobronchitis spread?  

Kennel cough is spread via airborne droplets from coughing dogs.  It can also be spread by sharing food or water bowls with an infected dog. Direct contact with an infected dog such as nose to nose contact may also transmit the infection.  The incubation time from when a dog is in contact with an infected dog and when that dog will develop symptoms ranges from 3 to 10 days following exposure. Outbreaks in kennels can happen at any time of the year and in a very densely populated daycare or shelter as many as 50% of dogs can contract the infection.

What is the treatment?

Most healthy young adult dogs do not require treatment for kennel cough.  In this group of dogs, the disease is considered “self-limiting”. This means it will resolve on its own like the common cold, generally within 1-3 weeks.  These dogs are coughing frequently but they are eating normally and are normally active at home. 

Young, old, and immunocompromised dogs are at risk for developing more severe disease symptoms. Symptoms that are more concerning and warrant a trip to your veterinarian include: discharge from the nose or eyes, decreased activity and appetite or increased breathing rate or effort.

Treatment for dogs will depend on how severe the infection is for your pet.  Chest x rays may be recommended to determine if there is an infection in your dog’s lungs (pneumonia). Treatments may include antibiotics, medications to control coughing, and nebulization therapy (inhaling a saline mist to loosen mucus and hydrate airways).  In some rare cases, dogs may need to be hospitalized and oxygen therapy may be provided.  A common antibiotic treatment for kennel cough is doxycycline. Doxycycline is typically dosed at 5 to 10 mg/kg once to twice daily for 2 weeks or longer.  

If your dog has a lot of thick nasal discharge and moist coughing but is deemed healthy enough to be treated at home with medications, you can provide nebulization at home. You can do this by having your dog inhale steam from a steamy shower for 15 to 20 minutes 1-4 times daily. Alternately, you can purchase a small handheld nebulizer from a pharmacy.  If your dog is not improving within 3 days of starting an antibiotic, or if you dog is appearing worse (struggling to breathe, eating less, having continued nasal discharge) then you should seek veterinary care quickly. 

Which dogs are most at risk for kennel cough?  

Although serious illness from kennel cough is rare, puppies are at greater risk due to their immature immune system. Additionally, brachycephalic breeds of puppies (smush faced breeds of like Frenchie’s, pugs, bulldogs etc.) are over-represented due to a variety of breed related characteristics such as narrow nostrils, elongated soft palates that block their airway, and narrowed and easily compressible windpipes.  Elderly dogs or dogs with immune compromise are at greater risk for more serious illness. 

How is the bordetella vaccine given and how long does protection last?

The Bordetella vaccine contains either a killed Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria (for the injectable vaccine) or a modified live version (a live bacteria that has been weakened so it cannot cause full infection but will stimulate the immune system). This type of vaccine is produced as a nasal spray or oral liquid.   Many vaccines are combined with parainfluenza and/or adenovirus type II to protect against other common respiratory pathogens. 

Puppies are advised to be given one intranasal or oral bordetella vaccine at 12 to 16 weeks of age although the intranasal vaccine can be safely administered to puppies as young as 3-4 weeks of age. Puppies should receive two doses of the injectable product 2-4 weeks apart. Some veterinarians will opt to give a booster of the intranasal or oral vaccine 2-4 weeks later as well.  

The vaccine is given annually thereafter to animals who have risk of exposure.  

What is the preferred vaccine for boarding dogs? 

The preferred bordetella vaccine is the intranasal bordetella vaccine combined with parainfluenza and adenovirus.  This is because the nasal drops provide a rapid onset of immunity. It also prepares the immune system to recognize and defend against infection at the site where infection starts: your dog’s nose.  The intranasal and oral forms of the vaccine provide immune protection to dogs 5 days later. Injectable vaccines take 10 to 14 days to provide protection.

Is infectious tracheobronchitis or the modified live bordetella vaccine a risk to humans?

Human infection with bordetella bronchiseptica from dogs with infectious tracheobronchitis is exceedingly rare.  Infection, if it happens, is most likely to occur in immunocompromised children or adults.  To my knowledge, there are no known reports of infection in people from a modified live bordetella vaccine administered to a dog. 

What are the bordetella vaccine side effects?

Side effects are minimal from the vaccine. The intranasal vaccine may produce short lived sneezing and coughing within 24 hours of the vaccine but should only last a few days. The injectable vaccine may cause short lived soreness at the injection site. Very little information is provided regarding adverse effects from the oral vaccine, but any medication has the potential to cause anaphylaxis (swelling of the throat, hives, vomiting, etc.).

Which dogs should get the bordetella vaccine? 

Puppies should have the vaccine administered as part of their pediatric vaccinations.  Moving forward, adult dogs should receive the bordetella vaccine if they spend time indoors at a grooming salon, doggie daycare, pet boarding, or are part of a regular dog walking group. 

How long before boarding does my dog need the vaccine? 

The vaccine is effective for up to 12 months, so if your dog received a bordetella vaccine within the last 12 months they should be protected.  If your dog is overdue for the vaccine, then current recommendations are to have the intranasal or oral vaccine administered 5 days prior to potential exposures (grooming, boarding, etc.).  The intranasal and oral vaccines provide the most rapid onset of immunity and might provide immunity as early as 3 days after vaccination.  Although the vaccine should be given in advance of boarding (by at least 5 to14 days depending on the vaccine type) most boarding facilities will not check to see if the vaccine was administered in this time frame.  So, if you vaccinate your dog the day before your intended boarding, you should know that your dog is still at risk for contracting a respiratory infection.  

Why did my dog get kennel cough despite being vaccinated?  

Many people are frustrated when they pick their dog up from a kennel and a few days later their dog starts to cough. Like the flu vaccine, vaccination for bordetella does NOT PREVENT infection. The vaccine is designed to reduce symptoms and duration of illness. Vaccinated dogs experience substantially less coughing compared to non-vaccinated dogs in studies of dogs experimentally exposed to bordetella. 

The bordetella vaccine typically protects against a complex of respiratory infections: bordetella, parainfluenza and adenovirus. Although bordetella is the most encountered bacteria encountered in infectious tracheobronchitis in dogs, there are a variety of respiratory viruses and bacteria that are known to cause coughing in dogs housed together. Unfortunately, to date we only have vaccines available for a few of these pathogens: bordetella, parainfluenza, distemper, adenovirus, and influenza. 

Shelters for years have battled outbreaks of respiratory infections. They rely on vaccination, sanitation, good ventilation, and immediate separation of infected and exposed animals from healthy animals to limit spread and reduce incidence of serious illness. If your dog is going to be in a kennel environment appropriate vaccination is important to keep them and dogs around them safe.

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