Guides

Kennel Cough: What It Is and What Actually Helps

Kennel cough is one of those things every dog owner has heard of, and it's often the first thing people ask me about when they're booking a stay. Most of the time it's a mild, annoying illness that clears up on its own, but it spreads easily and it can be more serious in puppies and older dogs, so it's worth knowing what to look for. Here's what the vets and welfare charities say, and what it means if your dog is going into boarding, day care or kennels.

• Highly contagious
• Usually clears in 1–3 weeks
• Vaccine lasts 12 months

TL;DR — key points

• Kennel cough is a catch-all name for a contagious airway infection caused by a mix of viruses and bacteria
• The classic sign is a dry, hacking cough, often like something stuck in the throat, and most dogs stay bright and keep eating
• It spreads through the air and on shared bowls, toys and leads, anywhere dogs mix, not only in kennels
• Most dogs recover in 1–3 weeks, but puppies, older dogs and poorly dogs can get more serious illness, so call your vet
• The vaccine helps but isn’t a guarantee, and it needs repeating every year
• A coughing dog should stay away from other dogs, including boarding and day care, until it has cleared

Quick reference only — this is a shortened summary, not medical advice. For anything urgent, read the full guide below and contact your vet.

What is kennel cough?

Kennel cough is the everyday name for an infectious airway illness in dogs, a bit like a cold or chest infection in people. There isn't one single cause. A mix of viruses and bacteria can be responsible, which is part of the reason a dog can catch it more than once. The name comes from how easily it spreads wherever lots of dogs are together, but it isn't limited to kennels. The vets at PDSA list dog shows and doggy day care alongside kennels, and a busy park can do the job just as well.

What does it look like?

The big sign is the cough. It's usually a forceful, dry, hacking cough that sounds as though your dog has something stuck in their throat, and it can end with a gag or a bit of mucus. Some dogs also get a runny nose, sneezing or watery eyes. Most are otherwise perfectly well, still bright, still keen on their food and still wanting to play.

It's easy to mistake for reverse sneezing, which is a harmless snorting noise some breeds make when their throat is irritated. If you're not sure which one you're hearing, a short video on your phone is handy to show your vet.

How do dogs catch it?

It spreads through the air when a dog coughs or sneezes, by direct contact between dogs, and on things dogs share, like food bowls, toys and leads. The germs can survive in the environment for several weeks. It usually takes somewhere between two and 14 days from catching it to showing signs, so a dog can pick it up before a stay and only start coughing partway through, or a week after coming home. Some dogs can even carry it for a while without any symptoms at all.

Anything that stresses a dog's airways or immune system makes it more likely to take hold. Blue Cross lists stress from crowded places, poor ventilation, cold temperatures, and heavy dust or cigarette smoke.

How serious is it?

For most dogs it's a nuisance and not much more. The cough usually lasts one to three weeks, although it can hang around for up to six. The ones to watch are puppies, older dogs and dogs with other health problems, because in them it can turn into something more serious, such as pneumonia.

Ring your vet if the cough is severe, if it has gone on for more than a few days, or if your dog goes off their food, seems unusually tired or feels hot. If you do take your dog in, phone ahead, tell them your dog has been coughing, and wait outside until you're called so you don't pass it on to other dogs in the waiting room.

Looking after a dog with kennel cough

• Let them rest as much as they need. Exercise can make the cough much worse.
• Keep them warm and comfortable, with fresh air in the house. A steamy bathroom can soothe some dogs, but never leave them in there on their own or make them stay if they don't like it.
• Use a harness instead of a collar and lead for the time being, as pulling on the lead can irritate the windpipe even more. My guide to collars and coughing in small dogs explains more about why.
• Keep them away from other dogs and public places while they're coughing, and for two to three weeks after the cough has gone, because they can still pass it on during that time.

It's extremely rare for people or cats to catch kennel cough from a dog.

Does the vaccine help?

Yes, it's the best way to cut the chances, particularly for dogs who mix with lots of other dogs or go into boarding. Your dog's usual puppy jabs and annual boosters cover some of the viruses involved, but the most common bacterium, Bordetella bronchiseptica, has its own separate vaccine, given as nose drops or an injection, so you do need to ask your vet for it.

It lasts about 12 months, so it needs repeating every year. It doesn't give a 100% guarantee, because there are lots of different strains, but it makes catching it less likely and the symptoms milder if your dog does. It won't help a dog who is already incubating it, so don't leave it to the last minute.

On timing, Blue Cross says the nose drops take around four days to start working, but PDSA points out that most reputable kennels and day care centres ask for the vaccine two to three weeks before a stay. Your vet will tell you what's right for your dog, and it's always worth checking what your boarder wants too.

Kennel cough and home boarding

I'll be straight with you, boarding in a home doesn't make a dog immune. Kennel cough is airborne and can turn up anywhere dogs meet, so nobody can promise it will never happen, and I'd be wary of anyone who does.

What I can say is that the things the charities list as helping it spread, crowded spaces, stress and poor ventilation, are things a busy kennel tends to have more of than a family home. I only ever have a small number of dogs here, nobody is shut in a cage, and your dog is free to wander the house and garden and snuggle up on the sofa as they would at home. Fewer dogs sharing the air, and a calmer dog, can only help. It's one of the reasons I do it this way.

That said, a well-run kennel will take kennel cough seriously too, so whoever you choose, ask about their vaccination requirements and what happens if a dog starts coughing.

When you book a stay with me, my boarding intake form asks for the date of your dog's last kennel cough vaccination and a copy of the certificate, alongside the rest of their vaccination record. I check every dog in my care for signs of illness each day, and I'll tell you straight away if I have any worries about your dog's health.

What if my dog is coughing before a stay?

Tell your boarder straight away, even if the cough seems minor, and ring your vet. A coughing dog is contagious, and vets advise keeping them away from other dogs, which includes boarding, day care and group walks, while they have symptoms and for two to three weeks after. I know that's a nightmare when the holiday is already booked, but it's kinder to every dog involved, including your own, and it's why I would always rather hear early. My service agreement asks clients to let me know about any change in their dog's health, and if this happens to you, message me and we'll work out the best thing to do.

Handy to have your vet's details somewhere obvious, so you're not hunting for them if your dog starts coughing. My free printable pet emergency card keeps them, and a few other useful numbers, in one place.

Kennel cough is far more often a nuisance than a worry, and a bit of planning, mainly getting the vaccine done in good time, takes most of the stress out of it. If you're unsure about your dog's vaccinations before a stay, or you just want to talk it through, message me, I'm always happy to help.

Where this advice comes from

If you'd like to read the vets' own advice in full:

• PDSA on kennel cough
• Blue Cross on kennel cough in dogs