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Kennel Cough

Kennel Cough - An Overview
By Tess Thompson

Kennel cough is a common name for canine infectious tracheobronchitis, a common respiratory infection in dogs marked by inflammation of the trachea and the bronchi. Kennel cough in canines may be caused by bacterial or viral infection. It is a contagious disease and spreads very quickly among dogs.

An infected dog among those housed in close quarters, such as a kennel, is liable to pass it on to others. This is probably why the specific condition is called - kennel cough. Dogs can also develop kennel cough outside a kennel as the kennel cough virus travels through air and does not necessarily need physical contact.

Kennel cough is also known as Bordetellosis or Bordetella, because a bacterium known as Bordetella bronchiseptica is the most common bacteria that has been isolated from this type of infection.

Bordetellosis is an inclusive name for diseases caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica and includes some case of suppurative bronchopneumonia associated with distemper in dogs, atrophic rhinitis, septicemia along with kennel cough. Besides Bordetella bronchiseptica, any of a group of small parasitic bacteria that lack cell walls and can survive without oxygen (mycoplasma) can also cause kennel cough in dogs.

Viruses like canine adenovirus, parainfluenza, respiratory coronavirus are known to contribute to the disease, with parainfluenza being the most common viral agent that causes kennel cough in canines.

Both viral and bacterial infections spread through the air when an infected dog sneezes or coughs. They can also spread through physical contact with infected dogs or surfaces. The disease is highly contagious and besides kennels, it can be contacted in pet stores, dog shows and other places where canines are likely to be present in large numbers.

Symptoms of kennel cough usually start surfacing 3 to 5 days after exposure and may last for ten to twenty days. Mild instances of kennel cough that involve recurrent coughing even as the dog is active and eating properly are allowed to run their course without treatment.

This is essentially so because treating a mild case does not shorten the infectious stage of the disease. However, treating severe kennel cough in dogs is as important since it can progress to pneumonia if left untreated.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennel_cough
http://peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&articleid=452