High, dry cough is the most obvious sign of tracheobronchitis. It occur frequently in some places that have many dogs live in such as animal hospital, kennel, etc. Thus the common name of this disease is Kennel Cough. It isn't harmful disease, but it can annoy owner because dog usually cough all night. However, complications can be risky. If dog don't get the right therapy, dog will sometimes die by the complications.

When dog cough, it doesn't mean that dog is suffered from tracheobronchitis. Diagnosis require dog's symptoms and other information. Many diseases also have cough as a symptom such as distemper, internal parasite infection, disease caused by fungi or protozoa, etc.

Cause

There are many microorganisms that lead to tracheobronchitis. These can be virus or bacteria. Sometimes it can caused by one type of virus or bacteria, but sometimes cause by virus together with bacteria. The samples are Parainfluenza virus, Adenovirus type II, Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria. The route of infection is by respiration.

Symptoms

In the early stage dog will has a high, dry cough. The progress is increasing in depth and frequency of cough and often together with nasal secretion and eye excretion. It look like something trapped in the throat. Dog try to push it out, but not thing go out.

Virulence

Tracheobronchitis isn't harmful disease, but it can spread quickly. Normal dog won't die by this disease, but dog will die by it's complications such as pneumonia, distemper, etc.

Cure

Because of many type of microorganisms, the therapy can be variety. Taking antibiotics is able to kill bacteria. In the case of virus, treatment is limited because we don't have any specific drug to treat. Only isolation to avoid infection and monitoring dog's symptoms are available. In most case it will relief in two weeks. Taking cough reduction drug can avoid irritation so reduce cough.

Prevention

1) Drop tracheobronchitis vaccine down the nostrils of dog.

2) Dog's living place should be clean and easy to ventilate. Cleaning must use antimicrobial agents that can kill both virus and bacteria.

3) Your dog should be vaccinated before enter the place that has many dogs live in.

Information on this page is not intended to offer medical advice and not specific for any breeds.

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