Article: Kennel cough is highly contagious

Q. My veterinarian recommends my dog get a vaccination for kennel cough. I never leave my dog in a kennel, so why does he need the vaccination? Can you tell me something about the disease and the vaccination?

A. Kennel cough is a fairly common ailment of the upper respiratory tract, comparable to a cold in humans. It is caused by bacteria and passed on by mucus droplets expelled by coughing.

Although very contagious to other dogs, it is not transmitted to humans.

Symptoms vary in each case: Some dogs will become mildly ill, while others will develop pneumonia. The afflicted dog usually will have a temperature, decreased appetite and a hacking cough.

Antibiotics and cough ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!