Kennel Cough

Kennel cough is an upper respiratory infection affecting dogs. A number of pathogens can cause kennel cough, including viruses such as canine distemper, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, canine coronavirus or Influenza A virus subtype H3N8, and bacteria such as Bordetella bronchiseptica. Kennel cough is so named because the infection can spread quickly among dogs in the close quarters of a kennel or animal shelter.

Viral and bacterial causes of canine cough are spread through airborne droplets produced by sneezing and coughing. These agents also spread through contact with contaminated surfaces. Most causes of kennel cough are highly contagious, even days or weeks after symptoms disappear. Symptoms usually begin two to three days after exposure, and can progress to lower respiratory infections such pneumonia. Various studies have shown that canine cough is a zoonotic disease, meaning that it can be transmitted from animal to human and vice versa. These studies indicate that Bordetella bronchiseptica infections in humans are uncommon and generally occur in immunocompromised individuals.