Does My Dog Have Kennel Cough?
Perfectly healthy dogs occasionally make hacking or coughing sounds when they are exposed to dust or get something stuck in their throats or noses. In such situations, canines experience brief coughing spells that are simply attempts to clear their throats or noses. This type of coughing goes away as soon as the external stimulus causing the animals to need to clear their airways is gone.
However, coughing not triggered by some sort of bronchial irritant is another matter entirely. If you notice your dog making dry, raspy coughing sounds and you don't see any external factors that could be causing such a reaction, it's important to begin watching closely to see if the problem continues and grows worse. When a dog starts coughing for no apparent reason and experiences coughing bouts that last for more than a day, there is a good chance that he or she has kennel cough.
Kennel cough is a respiratory infection that can pose serious health risks for canines if it remains untreated. If you suspect that your dog has kennel cough, it's important to seek veterinary care immediately. Many people mistakenly think that their pets can't be sick if they remain energetic. Other than continuous coughing, often so severe that it causes them to throw up, canines with kennel cough don't exhibit any other physical symptoms of illness.
Caught early and treated properly, kennel cough is easily curable with antibiotics, and is not likely to pose significant health risks to your pet. However, if kennel cough remains untreated over a period of time, you dog can develop a serious case of pneumonia. This is why seeking veterinary care as quickly as possible is so important. You don't have to rush your dog to the veterinarian's office for an occasional cough. However, any time he or she coughs repeatedly for more than a day, a visit to the vet is warranted.
Copyright © 2008, Ian White
Labels: Kennel Cough
