Tracheobronchitis
Tracheobronchitis is more familiar to dog owners by its common name of “kennel cough”. That name can be misleading though because it doesn’t happen in only kenneling situations. In fact, tracheobronchitis can occur anywhere dogs are, which includes dog parks, grooming facilities, or even just out and about on a walk. This is a common ailment we see at the Moab Veterinary Clinic as it comes and goes through town in waves. This article will specifically discuss sudden tracheobronchitis, which generally lasts about two weeks and affects the trachea (“windpipe”) and bronchial tubes of the lungs.
Tracheobronchitis can be caused by many different viruses and bacteria and is very contagious (which is why even having brief contact with a dog walking past can transmit it). We vaccinate for a lot of these at the Moab Veterinary Clinic, but some clinics do not vaccinate for the same things we do. What we do vaccinate for at the Moab Veterinary Clinic includes: adenovirus type-2 and parainfluenza (covered in our “10 way” vaccination), and Bordetella.
The most common complaint with tracheobronchitis is a harsh cough, often compared to a goose honk. Coughing may include gagging, retching, or even vomiting of white foam after a particularly harsh coughing episode. Other signs may include lethargy or lack of appetite. A more severe infection may involve nasal discharge and/or fever.
Oftentimes a tracheobronchitis is self-limiting, meaning it will get better on its own. If a tracheobronchitis is caused by a virus, antibiotics won’t help unless they also have a secondary bacterial infection causing another problem. Antibiotics only help problems caused by susceptible bacteria. We can also prescribe medication to help with the coughing, although a side effect of this medication is increased drinking (which means more frequent bathroom trips).
Coughing is also a sign of many other illnesses and a veterinary examination is required to differentiate these illnesses so we can treat the correct problem. Giving antibiotics to a coughing dog that’s coughing because of an undiagnosed enlarged heart doesn’t do much good.
Tracheobronchitis can be caused by many different viruses and bacteria and is very contagious (which is why even having brief contact with a dog walking past can transmit it). We vaccinate for a lot of these at the Moab Veterinary Clinic, but some clinics do not vaccinate for the same things we do. What we do vaccinate for at the Moab Veterinary Clinic includes: adenovirus type-2 and parainfluenza (covered in our “10 way” vaccination), and Bordetella.
The most common complaint with tracheobronchitis is a harsh cough, often compared to a goose honk. Coughing may include gagging, retching, or even vomiting of white foam after a particularly harsh coughing episode. Other signs may include lethargy or lack of appetite. A more severe infection may involve nasal discharge and/or fever.
Oftentimes a tracheobronchitis is self-limiting, meaning it will get better on its own. If a tracheobronchitis is caused by a virus, antibiotics won’t help unless they also have a secondary bacterial infection causing another problem. Antibiotics only help problems caused by susceptible bacteria. We can also prescribe medication to help with the coughing, although a side effect of this medication is increased drinking (which means more frequent bathroom trips).
Coughing is also a sign of many other illnesses and a veterinary examination is required to differentiate these illnesses so we can treat the correct problem. Giving antibiotics to a coughing dog that’s coughing because of an undiagnosed enlarged heart doesn’t do much good.
