Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory condition that dogs may contract in places where they’re hanging out in a group. This could be at doggy daycare, grooming facilities, and animal shelters. It isn’t pleasant, but there is good news; kennel cough is a very common and relatively minor condition that often clears up without intervention. For puppies, senior dogs, immunocompromised dogs, and brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds, however, kennel cough can be a more serious illness.
Often referred to as ‘the common cold for dogs’, kennel cough actually more closely resembles bronchitis or a chest cold. Technically, kennel cough doesn’t refer to one specific illness but rather acts as a catch-all term for a few different illnesses. The scientific name for kennel cough is canine infectious tracheobronchitis, and like a human cold, it can have many different origins.
To get to the bottom of this often elusive canine condition, we spoke with Dr Rebecca Greenstein, veterinary medical advisor for Rover and chief veterinarian at Kleinburg Veterinary Hospital. In this article, we’ll go over how to identify kennel cough (and differentiate it from other similar-sounding conditions), as well as how to deal with it, both at home and with the help of your trusted veterinarian.
How to Spot Kennel Cough in Dogs
So your dog has a cough: but is it kennel cough or something else? If your dog has been recently exposed to high-risk areas such as doggy daycare or a dog park, watch for the following telltale signs:
Kennel cough symptoms
Symptoms of kennel cough don’t show up until four to 10 days from exposure, making kennel cough particularly tricky to spot before it spreads to more dogs. The most common, recognisable symptom of kennel cough is—you guessed it—the cough! It’s hard to miss: listen for a distinct, goose-like honk that won’t let up.
Other kennel cough symptoms can include:
- runny nose and eyes
- sneezing
- lethargy
- loss of appetite
- low fever
At what point should symptoms be addressed by a vet? “If a cough is getting worse or you’re starting to see overall signs of malaise, such as not eating, lethargy, vomiting, and most importantly: if they’re having any signs of difficulty breathing—that’s an indication you should go see your vet,” Dr Greenstein tells us. “It might be a more serious case, or it could be another respiratory condition masquerading as kennel cough.”
What does kennel cough sound like?
As you can hear in the video below, a classic kennel cough is persistent and forceful, often with a honking sound. It may even sound like your dog has something stuck in his throat.
Of course, kennel cough is far from the only condition that affects your dog’s respiratory system. Here are a few other common ailments that may appear identical to kennel cough at first glance—and how you can tell them apart.
- Play Sneezing. Sometimes dogs sneeze during play as an expression of happiness. Dr Greenstein assures us this is perfectly normal (and kind of adorable!) It will sound like short snorts that come from the nose, rather than the lungs.
- Reverse Sneeze. A reverse sneeze is when your dog inhales loudly through their nose in spasms that can sound like choking or gagging. But don’t worry: it’s almost always harmless and painless, Dr Greenstein reports.
- Allergies. Sneezing and coughing in dogs are often tied to allergies, which are usually accompanied by other telling symptoms such as watery eyes and itchy skin.
More serious issues that start off with a cough
While most coughs in dogs are relatively harmless and clear up on their own, a persistent cough can also signal something more serious. A continual cough that shows no sign of quitting warrants a trip to the vet to rule out the following serious conditions.
Canine distemper: coughing is among the most common symptoms of canine distemper. If your dog has the condition, you’ll likely notice other symptoms as well, such as nasal discharge, lethargy, diminished appetite, vomiting, and fever.
Canine influenza: a cough and/or sneeze often goes hand-in-hand with the canine flu. Look for additional symptoms, including nasal discharge, watery eyes, runny nose, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and fever.
Nasal infection: if your dog is experiencing bloody discharge, a lack of appetite, or is breathing with his mouth open, he may have a nasal infection. To clear the infection, your dog will require prescription medicine.
Tracheal collapse: if you notice that your dog is making a honking sound (rather than the characteristic ‘snort’ of a reverse sneeze) he may have a collapsed trachea. Additional symptoms include difficulty breathing, a sudden aversion to exercise, or a bluish tinge to the gums. If these signs appear, you should take your dog to the vet right away.
The key takeaway here: if your dog has a persistent cough, it never hurts to check in with your vet. They can confirm a diagnosis and start your dog on the path to recovery.
Treatment and Prevention
The easiest way to prevent kennel cough is to prevent exposure! However, it can be hard to know when your dog has been exposed to kennel cough, as it’s contagious before symptoms show up.
If your dog is continuously coughing, isolate her from other dogs, and get them to the vet. For most otherwise healthy dogs, kennel cough is a ‘wait it out’ affliction and typically doesn’t require treatment. Still, your vet can confirm the diagnosis and discuss whether treatment could be helpful.
Most of the time, mild cases of kennel cough are resolved with a week or two of rest and isolation from other dogs. But for vulnerable dogs like puppies, seniors, and those with compromised immune systems, kennel cough can become a more serious issue. “Their immune system may not be equipped to handle any pathogen,” Dr Greenstein tells us. “So we may be inclined to treat them a bit more aggressively than other healthy adult dogs.”
Sometimes, your vet may prescribe antibiotics to prevent a secondary infection. To alleviate your dog’s discomfort, cough suppressants can also be prescribed.
Bordetella Vaccination
iStock/megaflopp
The most common cause of kennel cough is the Bordetella bronchiseptica bacterium, AKA Bordetella. Bordetella often shows up alongside viruses that can make dogs more susceptible to infection, including parainfluenza virus, canine distemper virus, and canine adenovirus.
Vaccinations are the most active step you can take toward preventing kennel cough. Many of the core vaccines recommended for your dog include protection against some of its root viruses, and the Bordetella vaccination protects against the most common cause.
Most doggy daycares and training facilities require an annual Bordetella vaccination—usually given via nasal drops—to control the spread of kennel cough. If your dog is regularly mixing with other dogs, it becomes even more important to keep your pet’s vaccines up-to-date.
Unfortunately, just like the flu vaccine for humans, the Bordetella vaccine doesn’t guarantee immunity. “Like the covid vaccine, it doesn’t offer 100% prevention, but it does lessen the severity of the symptoms,” Dr Greenstein reports. It’s also important to understand that the vaccine is not a ‘one-and-done’ deal, and most dogs will require regular boosters to ward off infection.
How long does kennel cough last?
In most cases, kennel cough lasts about one to two weeks. Symptoms that carry on beyond that should be addressed by a vet to rule out underlying problems.
Home remedies to soothe your dog’s cough
After consulting with your veterinarian, you can try one of the following remedies at home to alleviate your dog’s discomfort while he’s in recovery mode.
- Use a humidifier, vaporiser, or steam from a shower to relieve breathing passages. Unless you have a brachycephalic breed, in which case Dr Greenstein warns that this can worsen the condition.
- Avoid exposure to smoke or other irritating fumes
- Use a cough suppressant prescribed by the vet
- Switch your dog from a collar to a harness to avoid putting irritating pressure on her throat
Is Kennel Cough Contagious to Humans?
As Dr Greenstein reminds us: there is no one cause of kennel cough. And, for the most part, the different bacteria and viruses that cause kennel cough are species-specific. So catching kennel cough from your dog is highly unlikely.
Theoretically, the Bordetella virus can be transmitted to humans, Dr Greenstein says, but this is incredibly rare and would only occur in people with very weakened immune systems. For the average, healthy adult, Bordetella is not a threat.
