Kennel Cough Vaccine – Does my dog need it?

January 15, 2021

Kennel Cough Vaccine – Does my dog need it?

Does my dog need it?

Kennel Cough Vaccine – Does my dog need it? I hear you ask… Well, the answer is… To stay at Rose Cottage, yes they do need it.

We insist on it and it is a compulsory requirement to allow your dog to come, even for day care, here at Rose Cottage.

The vaccine…

The Kennel Cough Vaccine, is actually called the Bordetella vaccine. It is a noncore vaccine that is given to dogs that are frequently exposed to other dogs in boarding or social settings.

Canine facilities, such as dog daycare centres, boarding kennels, shows, dog parks and training classes often require dogs to have the vaccine.

This is because Bordetella bronchiseptica is the most common bacterial agent responsible for kennel cough in dogs.

Bordetella bronchiseptica causes inflammation of your dog’s upper respiratory system.

This inflammation leads to coughing and illness and can expose your dog to secondary infections. However, you probably won’t hear anybody telling you that your dog has Bordetella bronchiseptica. Instead, it will be referred to as kennel cough, which can lead to some confusion about what the Bordetella vaccine is for.

What Is Kennel Cough?

Kennel cough is an all term used to cover a multitude of highly contagious respiratory illness.

It is usually spread in areas where large numbers of dogs are confined, like kennels, which is how the disease got its name; Kennel Cough.

Kennel cough itself is not fatal, but the disease can lead to fatal bronchopneumonia in puppies and chronic bronchitis in senior or immunocompromised dogs. This is why it is important to assess whether or not your dog is at risk of catching the disease when deciding to vaccinate.

Kennel cough is easily spread from dog to dog through aerosol droplets, direct contact, or contact with contaminated surfaces like food and water bowls, toys, or kennel runs. Just like the common cold is spread in humans.

Your dog is most likely to pick it up in an area where lots of dogs congregate, but he can also pick it up from any contaminated environment, and you can bring it home to him if you spend a lot of time around dogs at work or during volunteer opportunities.

What are the signs?

The most distinctive symptom of kennel cough is the loud, unmistakable honking cough that dogs develop with the disease.

Other symptoms of kennel cough in dogs include a runny nose, sneezing, loss of appetite, lethargy, and a low fever. These symptoms are also similar to those dogs infected with canine distemper and the canine influenza virus. These are much more serious than kennel cough, so make sure you call your vet and explain your dog’s symptoms.

The good news is that despite kennel cough’s contagious nature, the disease is usually very treatable. Your vet may prescribe a few weeks of rest for your dog, along with cough medicine and possibly antibiotics to prevent any secondary infections from causing complications.

Keep in mind the vet may prescribe more aggressive treatment procedures if your dog is a puppy, a senior, or an immunocompromised dog.

Yearly Booster

Your dog will require a yearly booster. You should get a sticker on your vaccination certificate and this will show they have had the vaccine. Make sure you keep this up to date, as here at Rose Cottage we will require up to date certificates.

Here at Rose Cottage

We insist on dogs have the Kennel Cough vaccine as we have a responsibility to the other dogs we look after, as well as yours. We like to make sure all of the dogs are protected, especially when in our care. We believe it is best to keep your dog vaccinated, as the kennel cough can be really uncomfortable for your dog.

The vaccine is so simple to have and can save lots of possible problems, when you want your dog to stay in kennels whilst you are away etc.

Why Vaccinate at all?

Not just Kennel Cough, but our dogs need their vaccinations for many reasons:

Protect our pets from nasty, life threatening diseases
Give peace of mind
Create or boost our pets immunity to certain diseases
Prevent pets from passing on a disease such as Leptospirosis, which can be passed from animals to people

Sadly, a lot of the diseases your pet can catch if they aren’t vaccinated are fatal in most cases. Even if your pet catches one and is able to recover, they will often be left with long-term problems which can put them through a lot of pain and distress and leave you with some costly vet bills.

If you’re thinking of going away with or without your pet, they will need to be vaccinated. All reputable boarding kennels should ask for proof that your pet’s vaccinations are up-to-date.

What we recommend

If you are unsure on anything then speak to our staff and we would happily make recommendations to you.

Stay safe

If you want to treat your dog, there are sooo many safe ways you can. Healthy dog treats are available from us and we would love to help you look after your dog and keep them safe. But spoilt all at the same time!