Kennel Cough
The first half of this article is a general review of Kennel Cough, the second half is an update specifically about the Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) and the recent “outbreak” getting media attention.
Kennel cough is a respiratory disease that can affect puppies or adult dogs. It is very contagious between dogs but not contagious to people. Kennel cough is characterized by a harsh, hacking cough that typically is triggered by exercise and is sometimes productive (a small amount of phlegm or stomach contents are coughed up). There may be nasal discharge and sneezing, but other signs such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, and lethargy are uncommon.
CAUSES
Kennel cough is caused by one or more of several different viruses or bacteria. The spread of these organisms is similar to the spread of cold germs in people; just as colds readily spread through schools and workplaces, kennel cough spreads through boarding facilities and dog daycares. We have also had patients who caught kennel cough at the dog park, from one-on-one contact with an infected dog, and from walking in the same neighborhood with an infected dog. Some of our kennel cough patients have no known contact with other dogs.
SIGNS
Dogs with kennel cough have signs of illness that is similar to colds in people. They begin coughing within 2 days to 2 weeks of exposure. The cough is at its worse for about a week, and then it gradually tapers off over the course of another one to two weeks. A small number of dogs will sneeze, reverse sneeze, have nasal discharge, and have conjunctivitis with eye discharge.More than 90% of dogs recover from their problem without experiencing any complications. Of the remaining 10%, some will develop pneumonia and some will develop chronic bronchitis. If the pet develops pneumonia, the signs usually change from just coughing to coughing along with lethargy and loss of appetite. If chronic bronchitis develops, the dog feels well other than coughing, but the coughing continues beyond 3 weeks.
DIAGNOSIS
There is no specific test for kennel cough; it is a "rule-out diagnosis". If, based on the history and physical exam, we can reliably discount other possible causes for coughing we consider the pet's problem to be kennel cough.Occasionally blood tests, x-rays and an ultrasound exam are very helpful in the "rule-out" process.Dogs that might have developed either pneumonia or kennel cough as a complication of kennel cough require diagnostic tests in addition to the physical exam.
TREATMENT
A common treatment is no treatment. As long as the pet is eating and acting well other than coughing, monitoring the pet until the coughing stops is a reasonable option.If the cough is persistent enough that the dog (or owner) cannot rest then we will use an antitussive and/or cortisone. Antibiotics are often not needed, but are also not contraindicated. We will use antibiotics if the patient is a puppy, and also if the owner is more comfortable treating their pet with one rather than simply monitoring. Dogs that develop pneumonia require treatment with antibiotics and sometimes more intensive care; dogs with chronic bronchitis need corticosteroids and sometimes antitussives.
PREVENTION
The vaccine for kennel cough provides reasonable protection against one bacteria and one virus. We believe these are the most common causes of kennel cough, but they are far from the only causes, so the vaccine is very worthwhile but some vaccinated dogs will still contract the illness. Some dogs are asymptomatic carriers - they carry the kennel cough organism(s) and are capable of passing them to other dogs, but they have no signs of their own. Just as it is impossible to prevent cold outbreaks in daycares and elementary schools, it is impossible to completely prevent kennel cough outbreaks in dog daycare and boarding facilities. We regularly encounter the question "When can my dog go back to daycare, or be boarded?" when the pet is recovering from kennel cough. Studies have shown that dogs can shed the infectious organisms that cause kennel cough for up to six weeks after they stop coughing. However, the amount of infectious organism that the dog is shedding is greatly decreased by the time it stops coughing, and they then pose a minimal risk to other dogs. Ultimately, though, the decision is up to the daycare or boarding facility.
PROGNOSIS
The prognosis for recovery from uncomplicated kennel cough is excellent. Recovery from complicated kennel cough is fair to good.
Update:
Beginning in late 2023, stories on the internet and social media about a "new virus" causing severe respiratory disease in dogs began circulating. At this time, there is no indication that there is a new bacteria, virus, or other pathogen. There is also no evidence of an exceptional outbreak of any kind of respiratory disease in dogs. At YVC, we agree with the vast majority of other veterinarians as well as the American Veterinary Medical Associate (AVMA) that, there is no new outbreak or virus spreading and we are in fact seeing a routine waxing and waning of cases based on the seasons and any other number of factors.
We have summarized some general information about this complex and link below the AVMA’s official stance of the subject:
Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) (milder versions are usually called "Kennel Cough") is similar in many ways to colds in people, including:
It is caused by one or more of several different viruses and bacteria.
It is most commonly encountered in dogs that are in multiple-dog environments, such as boarding kennels and doggie daycare.
Regional outbreaks occur occasionally.
The majority of dogs cough for 1 to 2 weeks, and have few or no other symptoms.
Diagnosis is by symptoms and physical exam only. We can perform diagnostic tests for any patient, but we usually do not start with any, unless we have an indication that the pet has an unusually severe version of the problem.
Treatment is supportive - if the patient is eating, drinking, and acting fairly well, we may do no treatment. As needed, some patients will get antitussives, antibiotics, and/or injectable fluids.
A very small percentage of dogs with CIRDC will keep coughing longer than the usual 2 weeks or so. These pets have developed bronchitis, and need additional diagnostics and treatment.
A very small percentage of dogs with CIRDC will get pneumonia. Symptoms include lethargy and loss of appetite; the cough might change from the typical harsh, honking cough to a softer, moist cough. These patients need additional diagnostics and treatment. Rarely, this version of the problem is fatal.
Protection measures against CIRDC includes:
Keep your dog's vaccines current. Vaccines reduce the chance of your dog becoming ill, and make it less likely it will develop severe disease or spread infection to other dogs.
The best vaccine against respiratory infection is an annual intranasal or intraoral "kennel cough" vaccine. This vaccine provides protection for what are probably the three most common causes of CIRDC, Bordatella, Canine Adenovirus Type 2, and Canine Parainfluenza. Dogs that are frequently in high-risk environments can get extra protection by being vaccinated more frequently than annually. Some vaccinated dogs still get CIRDC, because the vaccine is not 100% protective, and there are some pathogens that it does not protect against.
When the specific pathogen canine influenza is circulating, the injectable canine influenza vaccine can offer more protection. Routinely updating this vaccine is not worthwhile. Also, the vaccine is only worthwhile if it includes the current strain(s) of influenza virus causing the outbreak.
Dogs can be contagious and look healthy. Limit your dog's interactions with groups of dogs, and with dogs of unknown health or vaccination status. Do not use daycare or boarding facilities unless they require kennel cough vaccination.
Delay or avoid taking your dog to places where outbreaks are occurring.
To help prevent other dogs from getting sick, keep your dog away from other dogs when it is sick. Dogs that have been sick can shed the pathogens that cause CIRDC for up to 6 weeks after their symptoms resolve. For practical purposes, though, it is relatively safe for a dog that has been sick to be around other (healthy, vaccinated) dogs once its symptoms have resolved.
Click HERE for the AVMA’s official stance on CIRDC with an additional update HERE.
