Coughing dog

        
Coughing Dogs

A cough can be due to a variety of illnesses. Heart disease, lung disease and masses within the chest or compressing the trachea can all cause cough.

“Catchy” or contagious coughs are caused by a variety of bacterial or viral agents but are often referred to as “kennel cough.” The term kennel cough can be used to mean either “a suspected contagious cough due to any cause” or the term kennel cough can be used to mean specifically a cough due to the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica (also a contagious cough).

Vaccines are available to help prevent infectious cough due to two specific agents: Bordetella bronchiseptica and canine influenza (H3N8). Other agents may cause infectious cough. It is rare that the organism causing the cough is identified. Consider vaccinating your dog for respiratory illness if it falls into the following categories:

· Kenneled dogs

· Doggie day care dogs

· Dogs that visit the groomer

· Dogs that play at dog parks

· Dogs that travel out of state

Bordetella bronchiseptica

There has long been a vaccine for the contagious respiratory disease caused by the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica. More micro organisms than Bordetella bronchiseptica cause contagious coughing in dogs but until recently this was the only vaccine available to prevent cough. The vaccine does not prevent all coughing in dogs but it decreases the likelihood that a dog will catch kennel cough due to the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica or that if it is infected with Bordetella bronchiseptica then the vaccine may decrease the clinical signs of the disease.

Canine influenza (H3N8)

In 2009 a vaccine containing killed H3N8 was released. The veterinary community refers to the virus H3N8 as “canine influenza.” The term canine influenza seems like it would also refer to “a suspected contagious cough due to any cause” but in the veterinary community it refers specifically to a respiratory disease caused by the H3N8 virus. This virus causes two respiratory syndromes. The mild form produces a soft moist cough that lasts 10 to 30 days. Clinical signs are mild and the dogs recover without treatment. In the severe form pneumonia can develop and infection leads to death in a very small number of patients. Because the disease is viral, treatment consists of supportive care. There is no evidence that people can catch the H3N8 virus. The H3N8 vaccine does not prevent infection from the virus, but it should decrease the severity of clinical signs.

Because this vaccine is brand new it has a conditional license. Little information exists about safety, adverse effects or efficacy beyond the tests that the company promoting the vaccine has done. Few adverse effects are anticipated.

Swine flu (H1N1)

In 2009 the AVMA published an alert that it is possible for dogs and cats to contract the H1N1 virus from their owners. No evidence exists that animals can infect their owners. An H1N1 vaccine for dogs and cats is not available. Other bacterial and viral causes of cough exist. We are aware of some of them and some have yet to be identified