Natural Pet Health

Kennel Cough Symptoms shouldn’t be ignored. Tracheobronchitis is more commonly known as kennel cough, this is an airborne infection which can be caused by bacteria known as Bordetella bronchiseptic , or a virus known as canine parainfluenza or a mycoplasma (organism between virus and bacteria).

Dogs are more or less likely to be attacked by any of the above disease carriers. Dogs that stay at kennels are more likely to be infected by this ailment ,being an airborne contagious disease dogs that are put together in one kennel are more likely to spread it among each other. Sometimes while traveling or while attending dog shows ,dogs are more open to this viral and bacterial attack ,especially those dogs who travel frequently or attend dog shows more often.

Canine infectious tracheobronchitis is more commonly known as kennel cough, and it is a highly contagious disease of a dog’s respiratory tract. Although not a serious disease in itself, canine kennel cough should be attended to immediately as this can at times lead to severe pneumonia as well as canine distemper, both of which can prove fatal to your dog.

Kennel Cough can be caught from many venues including your neighbor’s dog, from a dog at a dog show, from the animal hospital, or boarding kennels. Kennel cough is caused by an airborne virus, which is highly contageous, so your dog should be kept away from other animals until he is completely clear of the disease. It is of even greater concern in very young puppies as infection can progress to fatal pneumonia.

Basically cough is a body’s natural way of indicating that there is something wrong inside the body and especially in the respiratory system. Dogs, like humans, cough due to many reasons. The type of cough is often, but not always, sufficient indication of the cause. A dry hacking cough is a typical symptom of kennel cough in dogs.

Kennel cough is an infection that dogs usually acquire when exposed to other dogs with a similar infection. Dogs that have been recently boarded or those that have returned from dog shows are at a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Kennel cough is commonly caused by parainfluenza, Bordetella bronchiseptica, and mycoplasma. Other possible infectious agents include adenovirus, reovirus and the canine herpes virus. In majority of the cases it is a disease caused by a combination of bacterial and viral infection.

Kennel cough in dogs is as common as common cold in humans. If you have ever consulted a specialist before boarding your dog in a kennel, you would probably remember that you were advised to get your dog vaccinated.

Kennel cough is a highly contagious disease that can infect an entire kennel in a matter of days. Dogs can pick up infection from other places like dog shows, training classes, veterinarian clinics or from stray dogs when you take him out for a walk.

Kennel cough in canines is caused by bacteria or viruses or a combination of both. The most common infectious agents are bordetella bronchiseptica (bacteria) and parainfluenza and adenovirus (viruses). Besides, other pathogenic agents like mycoplasma may also cause kennel cough in dogs.

What is Kennel Cough and what are the symptoms?

Kennel cough is a highly contagious upper respiratory infection that often affects animals that are kept in a confined space such as boarding kennels, dog shows or veterinary hospitals.

Symptoms include a persistent dry hacking cough or bouts of deep harsh coughing often followed by gagging, which may produce a foamy mucus.

What is the conventional treatment?

Mild cases may improve without treatment. Conventional treatment of kennel cough often involves antibiotics which tend to relieve the animal’s symptoms fairly quickly, but also have a general weakening effect on their immune system, which can cause further problems, especially in the long-term.

Kennel cough in dogs is a fairly common condition. It occurs when a dog comes in contact with or is near an infected dog. The most likely time when this can occur is when the dog has been kenneled for a period of time.

However, being kenneled is not the only manner in which dogs can contract kennel cough. Dogs may get infected even when they have not been recently boarded. This is because an infected dog can potentially pass on the infection to another by sneezing and coughing.

A lot of people would like to know the answer to the question whether dogs can get common colds like humans or not. Dogs do develop symptoms like a runny dog nose, sneezing and cough.

Although all the above mentioned symptoms sound like the common cold in humans, most of the time the condition that is diagnosed is a viral, bacterial or fungal infection in the canine respiratory system. Symptoms resembling common cold should not be shrugged away even though some of the conditions are self limiting and go away on their own.

Sometimes these symptoms, especially if accompanied by fever, can be indicative of serious ailments like the highly infectious dog flu (canine influenza virus) or canine distemper. These ailments can eventually lead to pneumonia if not treated.

Cat flu is a general name given to infectious acute feline respiratory disease caused by a number of organisms. It is commonly seen in cats that have not been vaccinated, especially when they are kept in an over-crowded, dusty environment with poor ventilation and high humidity.

A huge majority (almost 80%) of the infections are caused either by feline calicivirus (FCV) or feline rhinotracheitis virus (FRV or herpes virus). The rest are caused by organisms known as Feline coronavirus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Pasturella multocida, Mycoplasma (parasitic bacteria) or Chlamydophila felis. Many cases of cat flu are tested positive for infection by more than one of these infectious agents.

Cat flu is a contagious disease and even cats without visible signs of the infection may pass it on to a healthy cat. The symptoms of cat flu include: