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As the temperature begins to drop, many pet owners may see an increase in their dogs coming down with a range of illnesses and viruses. While many of these may be minor in symptoms, they can sometimes cause more severe illnesses and even warrant a trip to the vet. An extremely common virus during the colder months is 'kennel cough', which is actually caused by a variety of different bacteria and viruses. Kennel cough typically refers to infectious bronchitis, a respiratory infection, in dogs, which is not too dissimilar to chest infections in humans. Kennel cough can be highly infectious and can spread quickly through airborne viruses or through bacteria on shared food bowls and toys. Typically, the virus is non-life-threatening, but in some cases it could lead to serious complications. Guidance from animal welfare charity Blue Cross states: "While a nuisance, kennel cough is not normally dangerous and is likely to need no treatment at all. But in puppies, elderly dogs or those with existing illnesses, the condition can be more serious and can develop into pneumonia. Depending on the germs which have caused the virus, some strains of the infection can also be more severe than others." Because kennel cough is a respiratory disease, one of the first signs of an infection is usually a persistent cough from your dog, hence the name. However, it can also cause a number of other symptoms, such as: Typically, these symptoms should clear up on their own within a few weeks as long as your dog stays hydrated and gets plenty of rest and care. However, in some cases it may be safer to take your dog to the vet to get a professional opinion. Kennel cough usually doesn't cause serious complications in most dogs, however, it could be more threatening for puppies, older dogs, and those with existing health conditions or illnesses. If you are concerned that a respiratory illness could cause serious illness in your dog for any of these reasons, you should see the vet as soon as possible in case they need to provide treatment. Depending on what's causing the kennel cough, the vet may decide to provide antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, or cough suppressants. They may also decide that no drug treatment is necessary at that time and will instead provide advice on how to look after your dog while they're recovering. Further details on kennel cough, as well as how to spot it in your pet, can be found on the Blue Cross website here.
