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The Reverse Sneeze

Kennel Cough

Kennel Cough or infectious bronchitis is characterized by a harsh, hacking cough which most people describe as sounding like "something stuck in my dog's throat." It is similar  to a chest cold humans sometimes have. Typically this is a minor thing that cures with time and only becomes a serious condition in special circumstances where secondary pneumonia and bronchitis can result.  A dog with Kennel Cough generally is just as active as a regular dog and maintains a normal appetite but has frequent fits of coughing. There is usually no fever or listlessness, just lots of coughing.

The Cough very much resembles the reverse sneeze. The Trick is to know a cough when you see one. A cough is mostly  dry or productive, meaning it is followed by a gag, swallowing motion or production of foamy mucus (not to be confused with vomiting).

Typically, this type of cough is caused by a bacterial infection or a virus.  These viruses become airborne by the coughing dog and become available for other dogs to be inhaled and infected.  This is a highly contagious disease. The term Kennel Cough is misleading in that any dog exposed to a number of other dogs can pick up the "bug" whether or not it is in a kennel environment or not.

Sometime in extreme cases, antibiotic therapy is given to reduce chances of secondary infections.  Antibiotics are not particularly responsive to viral infections.  This will take time (weeks) to correct.  If no improvement is seen, medical intervention may be needed.