Camp Bow Wow, Greenville requires dogs to be current on three vaccinations before they come to play with us, and one of those is Bordetella or “Canine Cough”. But what is that?
Bordetella was once called Kennel Cough, just because kennels used to be the only place where large numbers of dogs were exposed to each other. Now that dogs are so much more well-travelled, that name has become outdated—it could just as easily be called Dog Show, Vet’s Lobby, or Dog Park Cough.
Canine Cough is caused by the bacteria Bordetella bronchiseptica (a cousin of the organism that causes Whooping Cough in humans), but is often accompanied by a viral agent like the Parvoinfluenza virus or Adenovirus. It causes inflammation in the trachea and bronchial tubes, which leads to harsh, hacking coughing and gagging that sounds like the dog is trying to cough something up. Some dogs only cough after exertion, but some dogs suffering from Bordetella will cough every few seconds or minutes all day long.
The reason this disease causes so much concern in the canine world is because it is airborne and very communicable. A healthy dog can catch it simply by breathing near an infected dog or an infected dog’s belongings. The incubation period is 2 to 14 days, and an infected dog can “shed” Bordetella for up to three months. A dog that seems perfectly healthy can still spread the disease.
Much like a chest cold in humans, Canine Cough can be uncomfortable, but not usually life-threatening. Often the disease is allowed to run its course, though antibiotics and cough suppressants are sometimes prescribed. The danger comes from Bordetella opening the dog’s system to secondary infections like pneumonia. The biggest clue here is behavior—-a dog with Bordetella doesn’t usually run a fever or act sick. If a coughing dog is also listless or has no appetite, the dog may be ill with something more serious.
In the same way that humans are only partially protected by a flu shot, vaccinating a dog against Bordetella does not absolutely protect them from every strain of the disease. However, it does shield them from much of the disease and can decrease the severity of the infection if a dog should contract Canine Cough. In the end, if your dog is around other dogs in any capacity, it’s worthwhile to keep current on either the injectable or intranasal vaccination.
Resources:
Cross Veterinary Clinic FAQ. http://www.crossvet.com/FAQs.html
Mar Vista Animal Medical Center. http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_kennel_cough.html
Petville. http://www.petville.com/pet_community/2005/12/kennel_cough_in.html
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