06/19/2019
KENNEL COUGH!!
Now that I have everyone’s attention😅. This is meant to be a educational/informational post, please speak in generalizations, and don’t mention any specific business names in your comments or they will be deleted. “Kennel cough“ has reared its ugly head, and is all over town right now. So I just wanted to share some info on it, because I hear a lot of misconceptions on the subject.
1. What is “kennel cough”/“canine cough” ?
Many people think this disease is spread from a pet being physically in a kennel. This is untrue. Kennel cough is a upper respiratory infection that is spread through the air, and has nothing to do with actual kennels.
2. How & where can my pet contract kennel cough?
Since the disease is very similar to a cold in humans, it’s spread the same way. Your pet can pick it up anywhere there is other animals around. Dog parks, Bringing your pets to dog friendly businesses (like petco, scheels etc), Boarding facilities, groomers, trainers, veterinary offices, or even if an infected dog walks past your yard, and sniffs your dog through the fence it can be spread.
3. Can my dog get canine cough if they’re vaccinated?
The answer is yes. The kennel cough vaccine is very similar to the flu vaccine in people. It only covers some of the strains of upper respiratory diseases. So your pets can still become infected even if vaccinated. Fortunately like the flu vaccine, pets that are vaccinated, if they are exposed typically have a much less severe case, & less symptoms.
4. What should I do if my pet contracts kennel cough?
Typically, like a cold, the virus just runs its course on its own, but a vet visit is recommended, and they will typically put them on a antibiotic to prevent a secondary infection.
5. What can I do to prevent my pet from getting kennel cough?
If you are going to be around other pets, you should always vaccinate your pet for kennel cough. Don’t be afraid to have an open dialogue with your veterinarian, groomer, trainer, or pet care facility. A good, trustworthy facility will always be open to your questions, and forthcoming discussing your concerns on the subject. Every pet care facility has had some cases of canine cough, if they deny that (unless brand new), they are deceiving you, a facility should be available for tours, if they won’t let you see the place, or only let you see it by appointment , a red flag should arise. your pet care facility you choose should also require up to date vaccinations or updated titers.
A pet can be contagious 3-4 days before they show any symptoms, so many times a pet may have been in the pet care facility, and exposed everyone without the facility having any idea they had a infected pet in their care.
Many people think they should just never let their pets socialize because of the risk of exposure, but quite th contrary. Think of it like your kids, if they just spent 10 years at home with you, and then had to go into public, they won’t have any immunity built up to normal germs, but if they’ve socialized their entire lives, their immune responses are great, and most bugs they might pick up from their friends tends to be minor.
