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Kennel Cough
by Di Rees BVetMed MRCVS

Prevention, Better than Cure!

We are seeing a lot of dogs suffering from 'Kennel Cough' (acute tracheo-bronchitis).
KC can be caused by several different species of viruses and bacteria. These cause irritation to the windpipe, which results in coughing. Most dogs are not unwell when they have kennel cough, but they can sometimes have a high temperature and be off colour for a number of days. the cough is dry and hacking, and it often looks as though the dog has something stuck in the throat. The cough usually goes away after 2-3 weeks, however very young or very old dogs, or those with concurrent medical problems, can be much more severely affected, needing more intensive treatment, and taking longer to recover. Treatment normally consists of a course of antibiotics, and allowing time for the dog's immune system to fight off the infection. A dog that has kennel cough should be kept warm, not over-exercised, and kept away from other dogs. Most, but not all, cases of kennel cough can be prevented by vaccination, which is given as drops ionto the nose. Vaccination will protect against the more common causes of kennel cough, and lasts for 12 months. Unfortunately, as with the human flu vaccine, vaccination does not give complete protection.

Dogs at highest risk of contracting KC are those coming into close contact with other dogs, such as kennels, and training classes. However we are currently seeing cases in dogs who have had very little contact with other dogs, so we are strongly advising that all dogs are vaccinated against this distressing illness.

Please ring the practice if you wish to book an appointment.