Can You Prevent Your Dog From Getting Kennel Cough?

As a pup parent, I want to include my canine companion in everything I do. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. I live across the country from my family, and I travel at least twice a year. My furry friend doesn’t handle crowds well, so taking her on an airplane would be a disaster. For this reason, I do take her to a kennel.

One of my biggest concerns about boarding my dog is the possibility of her contracting kennel cough, AKA canine infectious tracheobronchitis. According to AKC, this respiratory disease is “highly contagious” and is “easily spread at places where large amounts of canines congregate.” The symptoms can include a “strong cough, runny nose,” a loss of energy, and changes in your pup’s appetite.

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Thankfully, there is a way for pet parents to help prevent their pups from getting kennel cough.

During a 2020 appearance on “The Jason Show,” Dr. Eric Ruhland, DVM, explained that pup parents can get their dogs the bordetella bacterium vaccine. Ideally, the vaccine will reduce the chance of your pooch contracting canine infectious tracheobronchitis. However, Dr. Ruhland warned that “no vaccine is ever gonna prevent infections and no vaccines ever gonna prevent a dog from actually getting sick.”

“It actually prevents them from shedding more and from the length of the disease and how sick they are actually going to get,” explained the vet. “So that’s the important thing people think like oh why should I have my dog vaccinated for kennel cough if they are still gonna get it? Well yeah, but the cases that we see of cases that are not vaccinated come in raging pneumonia is four to five days later they have scar tissue in their lungs.”

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If your pup does end up getting kennel cough, don’t freak out. According to Dr. Ruhland, the disease is the equivalent of a human cold. That being said, you should take your pup to the vet if they exhibit signs of canine infectious tracheobronchitis.

“Most dogs that are not immunocompromised, that are healthy that are not super little or not super old. They’re going to get over this in a week or so,” asserted Dr. Ruhland.