Seger Park Dog Owners Association

Recently there have been several reported cases of "kennel cough" among our canine park visitors. A local Vet reports that due to the unseasonably warm weather, mold and pollen which is normally killed off by the cold, continues to thrive. He reports that an unusually large number of dogs are presenting similar symptoms which may or may not be kennel cough.

Kennel cough is most commonly (80-90% of cases) associated with a bacterial infection caused by the organism Bordetella bronchiseptica but is also know to be caused by a variety of other infectious agents, most of them viral.
Kennel cough is very contagious, making it similar to the common cold in humans. Dogs are infected from airborne organisms, where they attach to the trachea and begin to damage the cells they feed from.

The incubation period from the time a dog is exposed until clinical signs appear varies depending on which infectious agent is the cause. In general it appears to be about 3 to 5 days with Bordetella. The infection tends to be mild except for a very harsh cough that often prompts owners to think that their dog "has something caught in his throat".

Vaccines will help prevent kennel cough. There are currently vaccines available for Adenovirus type 1 and 2 as well as Parainfluenza and Bordatella bronchiseptica. Some of these vaccines can be administered by injection and some can be given in the form of nasal drops. The nasal vaccines do appear to create a higher level of protection. While no vaccine is perfect, these vaccines do seem to be very effective at minimizing kennel cough.

Owners should discuss the need for one of the available vaccinations with their veterinarian.

Below are links to various articles for your reference. Feel free to email our Webmaster with any other items of information on this topic.