Kennel Cough: At a Moment’s Notice
Kennel cough outbreaks can occur at any time or place. Are your veterinary practice customers prepared?
Coughing, hacking and nasal discharge might sound like symptoms of the common cold – but in dogs, these signs often point to a highly contagious illness known as kennel cough.
Formally referred to by veterinarians as canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC), this condition isn’t caused by a single pathogen, but rather a group of viruses and bacteria that work alone or together to infect a dog’s respiratory system. Among the most well-known culprits is Bordetella bronchiseptica, but it’s far from the only one. As dog socialization increases through boarding, daycare and dog parks, so does the risk of exposure.
Fortunately, modern vaccines and heightened awareness among veterinary professionals are helping to reduce the impact of this complex disease – if pet owners stay informed and proactive.
Prevalence
Just like the flu or common cold in humans, the prevalence of contagious respiratory diseases like kennel cough can fluctuate greatly from year to year, and one location to another, said Dr. Kristine Smith, associate director, core brands, petcare medical affairs, veterinary professional services CAD, Zoetis.
And local outbreaks causing large numbers of cases can occur at any time depending on exposure and vaccination status of dogs.
Kennel cough caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica is typically treated with antibiotics. However, secondary bacterial infections may or may not respond to the same treatment, and if pneumonia develops, dogs may require hospitalization and more advanced treatments. If a virus is the culprit, similar to the case in humans, antibiotics will not help and we are often limited to supportive care while we wait for the virus to run its course, Dr. Smith said.
This is one of the reasons canine influenza virus can be deadly in severe cases. However, while treatment options remain limited, today we are much better at protecting dogs against the risk of kennel cough. Zoetis offers several vaccination options in its Vanguard line, including vaccines that help protect against Bordetella bronchiseptica, with some that also help protect against secondary pathogens such as adenovirus and parainfluenza virus. Bordetella vaccines are available that can be given as a nasal or oral vaccine, or for dogs that don’t like having their nose or mouths touched, subcutaneous injection is also an option. “Thankfully, we also have a highly effective canine influenza vaccine that can help protect dogs against unpredictable and sometimes deadly outbreaks,” Dr. Smith said.
Common respiratory viruses are always changing slightly as they spread and infect new hosts, and to a lesser degree, bacteria can do the same. However, there haven’t been any significant new strains of canine respiratory pathogens recently, Dr. Smith said. “Often when we witness a severe outbreak or more severe symptoms in dogs, we still find the traditional culprits of viruses and/or bacteria as the cause,” she said. The most common reason for outbreaks is lack of vaccination for the preventable culprits, such as Bordetella or canine influenza virus.
Veterinarians are becoming more proactive. In the past, fewer dogs were protected with vaccines and many owners would assume their dogs were not at risk. But today, with all the travel, doggie daycares, groomers, vet visits, dog parks and everyday social life – dogs are more at risk than ever. That is why many of these facilities require vaccination – but sometimes owners are unaware of this or forget until last minute. Kennel cough is extremely contagious and can even spread through contact with contaminated surfaces such as clothing, water bowls and toys.
“Vaccination is definitely the best way to help protect your dog,” Dr. Smith said.
Dr. Jonathan Bycroft, CityVet, believes CIRDC has evolved over the years, as more people are socializing their pets in play groups and daycare. “We have seen an increase in cases at our clinic, especially post COVID as our pets and pet parents are able to be more social,” he said.
There have been a few outbreaks in the past few years that received notable attention; however, they could not be linked to the common causes of CIRDC, he said. As with any disease complex that has multiple pathogens causing disease, especially viruses, CIRDC can mutate and evolve over time.
“Overall, we have not seen a shift in the age or health status of patients being affected by CIRDC over the years. Older, younger, and immune-compromised patients tend to be more affected, but any age group can
be affected.”
Similar to humans, respiratory infections can be more severe for very young, very old, or immunocompromised individuals, Dr. Smith said. “So in this sense, risk hasn’t changed over time.” However, today, risk mainly is dependent on vaccination status and exposure. Dogs in general are much more social than ever before with more and more dog-friendly social events and places, outbreaks tend to occur most when pets are not vaccinated.
While infections are usually attributed to boarding and grooming facilities, patients can contract CIRDC from any area where there are multiple canine patients. “We have seen infections from patients who frequent dog parks, stores, and walking around the neighborhood,” Dr. Bycroft said.
Unfortunately, similar to contagious respiratory infections in people, such as the flu and common cold, kennel cough in dogs is easily spread through travel and communal gathering sites where dogs interact. “The more dogs travel or visit doggy daycares, groomers, or kennels, the more risk there is for respiratory disease outbreaks,” Dr. Smith said.
Dr. Karyn Collier, medical director at Hillside Veterinary Clinic in Dallas, Texas, a Thrive Pet Healthcare partner hospital, said she believes we are seeing a wider age range of patients with infectious respiratory diseases. Daycares and dog parks are more common, and people love to socialize their dogs and socialize with their dogs. “No age group is excluded,” she said. “The age of the dog and its overall health can affect the severity of the infection.”
Any place where dogs congregate carries the risk of kennel cough being present. “Our mobile lifestyles, and including our pets in those mobile lifestyles, can contribute to the spread of infection,” Dr. Collier said.
Even dogs that are vaccinated appropriately can still contract a respiratory infection. A dog with a very active social life should be vaccinated against all diseases that can be prevented. “There are other agents that cause kennel cough, for which we do not currently have vaccines,” Dr. Collier said. “We must also keep in mind that vaccines may not always completely prevent a dog from contracting a respiratory infection, but they should make the infection shorter and less severe.”
Pet owners are very aware of how kennel cough is spread, and Dr. Collier believes they do everything they can to prevent it. “They also know that, despite every precaution, their pet may still be at risk.”
One key prevention strategy Dr. Bycroft and his team recommend is kennel cough vaccination every six months for high-risk patients. “As vaccines continue to evolve, we expect to see continued improvement.”
Also, diagnostic PCR (polymerase chain reaction) panels allow veterinarians to determine what is causing the CIRDC infection, allowing more targeted treatment.
Pet owner awareness
Has awareness and understanding of kennel cough among pet owners improved, and lessened its spread? Yes and no, said Dr. Smith. “Luckily, facilities that require vaccination for kennel cough have lowered their risk of outbreaks substantially which helps protect dogs that visit,” she said.
“We have also seen how effective the canine influenza vaccine is at preventing spread of this dangerous illness in dogs. For years, Vanguard CIV was the only canine influenza vaccine available protecting dogs across the U.S. from deadly outbreaks.”
Since the pandemic, pet owners are more aware of the risks of respiratory pathogens and how they spread. However, misinformation surrounding the “anti-vax” movement that came with COVID-19 can spill over into pet owner decisions about their dog’s vaccines, despite the excellent safety records of these vaccines.
“It is important for people to understand that vaccines have saved more human and animal lives than any other medical treatment (including antibiotics),” Dr. Smith said. “We simply can’t afford to take that for granted.”
Advances in testing
Fortunately, because of advances in research and testing, we now have more knowledge about the agents that can cause CIRDC. “A Respiratory PCR panel tests for 12 different viral/bacterial agents that could cause the infection; hence the more appropriate term of Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex,” Dr. Collier said. “It helps guide appropriate treatment, and we can review an individual pet’s vaccination protocol and adjust where needed.”
Photo caption:
Dr. Jonathan Bycroft, CityVet
Photo credits:
- istockphoto.com/Felix Andres Montana Otalora
- istockphoto.com/Tamer ALKIS
- istockphoto.com/gilaxia
