Dog Coughing Up Flem

What is kennel cough?

In our monthly 'Pet's corner' column, vet Fiona, from the Chestnut Veterinary Group, answers your pet questions .

My dog Tyson has started coughing, and my neighbour has told me it’s 'kennel cough' – what is kennel cough, and how do I know if that is why Tyson is coughing?

Kennel cough refers to a very contagious infection of the upper airway, and can affect dogs of all ages. The disease is caused by a mixture of viruses and bacteria which can pass readily via droplets from dog to dog or on contaminated surfaces.

For example Tyson could become infected by sniffing somewhere where an infected dog may have recently coughed. Often a virus is inhaled and causes inflammation and damage to the cells lining your dog’s upper airway.

The damage caused then allows bacteria to invade and these can paralyse the little hairs lining your dog’s airway. These hairs normally help stop dust and mucus from entering the lungs, but when not working, these predispose your pet to developing further problems lower down such as pneumonia.

What signs would Tyson show if he had kennel cough?

If Tyson is unfortunate enough to get ‘kennel cough’, then the first thing you will probably hear is a dry, harsh cough, possibly with a retch at the end that may result in him bringing up some frothy fluid or saliva. It normally takes about five days from exposure before your dog will start to cough. The cough can become so severe that it can sound as if your dog is choking, and can be very distressing for both pet and family members.

Unfortunately the more your dog coughs, the more damage that will occur to the airway and in severe cases, the infection will be able to reach the lungs and cause pneumonia. Once your dog is coughing, it is therefore important not to do anything to make it worse – so avoid excitement, pulling on the lead, barking and exercise, especially in cool morning air.

Depending on how severe the infection is, your dog may also become lethargic, have a reduced appetite, have a fever, and develop a runny nose and/or eyes – all similar to the symptoms that people may have with ‘flu’ or ‘whooping cough’.

If your dog does develop kennel kough, it is important not to take him or her out where other dogs are walked until the coughing has stopped completely which can take a number of weeks.

kennel cough in chihuahuas: prevention, symptoms and treatment ...

This 12 week old chihuahua puppy also has kennel cough. how do you know if your chihuahua has kennel cough? what are the signs of sick chihuahua with kennel cough and what can you do to treat and prevent it? here’s what you need to know about kennel cough in chihuahuas…

summer is here and while that means fun, adventure and more trips to the dog park for our chihuahuas, it’s also a time to be extra cautious as it is during the summer months where dogs contract kennel cough most often. trachea respiratory problems in chihuahuas is common, so it’s especially important to know how to prevent, identify, and treat kennel cough.

although kennel cough is generally not a serious respiratory condition and usually goes away after a few weeks, it is often the case that the cough masks a more serious issue like pneumonia, thus, it’s important to properly care for your chihuahua to avoid more serious problems from developing. the key is to carefully monitor your chihuahua for symptoms so that you can get them checked out as soon as possible.

there is no cure for kennel cough, so prevention is key. if you plan to board your chihuahua while you travel, enter them into a dog show, or enroll them into a dog obedience school where there will be a lot of dogs around, it’s a good idea to vaccinate your chihuahua against kennel cough.

kennel cough is highly contagious and is thought to be caused by bacteria called bordatella. generally, kennel cough vaccines are not necessary for chihuahuas that stay indoors, so there is greater risk if your chihuahua is highly socialized with other dogs.

there are two kinds of kennel cough vaccines you can get to treat and prevent your chihuahua. if you require instant prevention, ask your vet about the intranasal vaccine. it is inhaled through the nose and is best for immediate dog contact situations. the injectable vaccine is the other kind of kennel cough vaccines and can be given to your chihuahua as early as 4 weeks of age.

what are the symptoms of kennel cough?

look for episodes of high pitched, “honk-like” coughing that lasts for at least 2 weeks, some chihuahuas may also vomit up large amounts of phlegm. in order to rid their system of the disease, your chihuahua needs to cough up phlegm, so don’tgive your chihuahua any cough suppressants.

other than coughing, your little chihuahua will usually not behave sick when it has kennel cough, so limit its activity to avoid triggering intense coughing episodes. if you have other dogs in the house, it is likely they will get kennel cough too.

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