Could someone give me a quick overview of kennel cough?

[Mary Plummer]

Fortunately, this isn't for Mr. Blue! Some friends of ours adopted a puppy from the humane society, who ended up with kennel cough. The woman in this couple was really irate with the humane society, and swears she'll never go there again. My understanding is that it is extremely contagious, and spreads very easily in a kennel environment. It seems like I've also heard that it's fairly easy to treat, for an otherwise healthy dog. It seems to me that it would be VERY difficult to prevent it from cropping up at a humane society, which of course takes in dogs of unknown health and history, etc. I don't remember whether it's a bacterial thing or a viral thing, though, or even if it's more of a general term used to describe a bunch of different conditions. I'm not at all worried that our humane society is acting improperly. As my husband put it, this woman looks for conflicts with everyone, and he's right. This is just out of my own curiousity, and desire to know in case Mr. Blue ever comes down with it.

[Traci]

Bordetella is a viral/bacterial (in that it is an adenovirus with most often subsequent bacterial infection).....yes, you're right, it is highly contagious, and common in shelter environments (and boarding facilities, etc). Puppies can recieve the intranasal as early as 2-4 weeks of age with a followup booster at 4 months of age. If using a parenteral vaccine, should start at 6-8 weeks of age with at least 2 boosters and then annually. Some vets recommend adult dogs vaccinated twice annually for bordetella if the dog is exposed to a kennel environment, boarding, etc.

Treating bordetella usually involves oral antibiotics and if severe, cough suppressants,

[Mary Plummer]

Thanks Traci! That was really good, and exactly what I needed. This woman is married to my hubby's best friend, so we end up seeing them quite often. She really does seem like someone who is happiest when she's got someone to blame something on. I've never once heard her claim any responsibility for anything going on with her life. I'll leave it at that; this is Canine Health, not miserable humans' health, isn't it

So does the adenovirus produce the kennel cough symptoms, or is it always a bacterial infection following it? Our vet always vaccinates Mr. Blue once/year for it. We don't board him, so the kennel factor has never come up for him.

[Tanya]

Does this include sneezing too?

[Traci]

Yes it could, but the most common sign is coughing (may sound like a raspy bark, or hacking/coughing)

[Tanya]

Thanks - just trying to decide if my dog is having an allergic reaction or if she has some sort of kennel cough. She is sneezing (and what the vet called a reverse sneeze) which is like coughing, but sounds more like she is going to barf.

[Julie B.]

Hi Mary,

Kennel cough (Infectious tracheobronchitis) can be viral and/or bacterial in origin. Adenovirus can cause symptoms alone, as can Bordetella bronchiseptica, which is a bacterial organism. "Kennel cough" usually refers to the Bordetella organism (thus the term "kennel cough vaccine" for the Bordetella vaccine) but it can be caused by a multitude of agents.

Usually the best treatment is to just ride it out. If the owner just can't stand the cough or the dog is uncomfortable, a cough suppressant may be prescribed (such as hydrocodone or butorphanol). If the infection persists, an antibiotic may be in order.

It is highly contagious in any situation where multiple dogs are housed be it shelter or boarding kennel.

I hope your friend's dog feels better!
JB