By Tess Thompson
Kennel cough in dogs
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is a fairly common condition. It occurs when a dog comes in
contact with or is near an infected dog. The most likely time
when this can occur is when the dog has been kenneled for a
period of time.
However, being kenneled is not the only manner in which dogs can
contract kennel cough. Dogs
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may get infected even when they have not been recently boarded.
This is because an infected dog can potentially pass on the
infection to another by sneezing and coughing.
The most common viral agent that causes kennel cough is
parainfluenza. The incubation period of the virus is three to
four days. It is only after the incubation period that the dog
shows any signs or symptoms of the infection. The duration of
kennel cough in dogs
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is approximately six to ten days unless there is another
bacterial agent that results in extending the normal period of
the condition.
Although bacterial cultures and isolation of the virus is
possible to identify the agent causing kennel cough, blood tests
are usually not performed since the characteristic nature of the
symptoms are fairly easy to diagnose. A brief reference to
symptoms, history, and recent exposure to other dogs is enough
to obtain a conclusive diagnosis.
The most common symptom of kennel cough is a dry hacking cough
that produces a ‘honking sound’. The cough can be identified if
you know that it sounds as if there is something stuck in the
throat and the dog is trying to dislodge it by coughing. Even
among those who are aware of the specific nature of the coughing
sound, the first reaction of the dog owner tends to be to check
whether there is actually something stuck in the throat or not.
The coughing or gagging can be quite severe. It may continue for
some minutes or be repeated at short intervals. It is often
accompanied by a watery discharge. If the sound of the cough is
not enough to confirm your hypothesis, a simple way of checking
whether the coughing is related to kennel cough or not is to
press the throat gently, just in the collar area. If it is
kennel cough it will induce coughing.
There is no express need to panic if your dog has kennel cough
since the symptoms vanish on their own in mild cases. However,
if the cough is severe and your dog expels mucus while coughing,
a visit to the veterinarian is necessary. The symptoms of kennel
cough can progress and may cause fever, lethargy, lack of
appetite or pneumonia. In extreme cases, kennel cough can also
lead to death.
References:
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&articleid=452
http://www.auntjeni.com/kennel.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennel_cough
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_kennel_cough.html
http://dogtime.com/articles/155?breaks=2502_5003_5779&page=3&slug=true&title=kennel-cough-in-dogs-vin
http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/kenc.html
http://www.dog-health-guide.org/caninekennelcoughtreatment.html
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