Canine Kennel Cough Symptoms

Canine kennel cough has the following main symptoms: at the beginning of the disease, there will be dry cough, and the dog will make a cough sound like a goose. This will then turn into a wet cough, which is worse after exercise or eating. As the disease progresses, vomiting, fever, and rhinorrhea may occur. The rhinorrhea symptom will also change from serous to purulent. In the later severe stage, the dog may show symptoms of weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy. If treated improperly, the disease may lead to secondary infections such as canine distemper, parvovirus, and fungal infections.

Canine kennel cough is a respiratory disease caused by viruses, bacteria, mycoplasmas, and other pathogens. It generally occurs in puppies aged 2-3 months, mainly in summer and autumn seasons. It has strong infectivity and often leads to mass outbreaks in the same litter of puppies.
Dogs with canine kennel cough will initially show dry cough, which gradually turns into wet cough. The dog's cough sound is like a goose. This symptom will exacerbate with increased exercise and food stimulation. At the same time, the dog may also show symptoms of high fever, vomiting, and rhinorrhea. As the disease progresses, serous rhinorrhea will turn into purulent rhinorrhea. In the later stage of canine kennel cough, the dog will gradually lose weight, show persistent anorexia, lethargy, or other organ symptoms.

It should be noted that if a dog has symptoms of diarrhea, choroiditis, or seizures, it may be accompanied by other more severe diseases, such as canine distemper, parvovirus, or fungal infections.

Simply observing clinical symptoms cannot confirm canine kennel cough. If a dog has suspected symptoms, it can be taken to the hospital for related checks to confirm the diagnosis. Clinically, it mainly relies on pathogen detection to determine whether there is a viral infection, such as antigen test paper examination and PCR virus gene detection. Bacterial infections are mainly caused by bronchobacteriosis, while viral infections are mainly caused by canine parainfluenza virus type 2 and canine adenovirus.