Ellie had Kennel Cough this month.

Kennel Cough is the common name for a condition called tracheobronchitis. It is one of the most infectious doggy diseases and, whilst rarely life threatening, it is distressing.

The dog will have a distinctive dry cough, often followed by retching which results in bringing up a foamy phlegm. Often people describe the cough as sounding like the dog has something stuck in its throat.

Most instances of Kennel Cough resolve themselves in 2-3 weeks although some dogs can develop further symptoms which need treatment.

There is a vaccination for Kennel Cough which involves a nasal spray although it is thought that the effectiveness of the vaccination is variable due to the nature of the infection which can be a mixture of bacterial and viral and vary area by area.

Antibiotics may be given but may not be any more effective than simply allowing the condition to run its course. In the meantime, the dog should be isolated from other dogs to minimise cross infection.

Fortunately neither Bradley nor Darcy caught the cough from Ellie. They have both had Kennel Cough before and seem to have developed some resistance to this particular strain of the disease. That is not to say that they will not get it again the future as the disease evolves...!

This page was updated on 29th August 2004