If you want to get fancy, the technical term for kennel cough is Infectious Canine Tracheobronchitis

What Is Kennel Cough?

Let’s break that down: 

• Infectious: an illness that is caused by a germ such as a bacteria, virus, fungus or protozoa
• Tracheo-: the trachea or throat. 
• -bronch-: the two large tubes or branches leading from the throat to the lungs. 
• -itis: inflammation. 

That means an upper respiratory infection. Add to that it is contagious, meaning transmissible from one dog to another.

It’s usually, but not always, a combination of the bacteria bordetella and some viral infection, such as influenza. Incubation period is anywhere from 3-10 days. 

What Are The Usual Symptoms Of Kennel Cough In Your Coton?

The dog will start a honking cough usually more pronounced after activity. The cough usually ends with an attempt to bring something up which is why most folks think the dog has something caught in his throat. It is usually a pretty persistent cough.

It can last for 1 to 3 weeks after which the symptoms resolve.

Sometimes there is a runny nose and sneezing as well. The dog can be contagious for 1-3 months after the cough is gone.

There usually isn’t a fever unless the infection progresses to pneumonia. While the illness may progress to serious complications like pneumonia and death, in most cases it can resolve without treatment. A few weeks of misery and the dog ends up back to normal, much like you and I with a case of the common cold.

Home Care

If you have an immune-compromised, elderly, infirm dog, more precautions need to be taken including a trip to the vet for an exam. 

If you have a healthy dog with a good immune system, a few simple things can help him on the way to recovery. 

• Make sure they are hydrated and 
• Offer some cough suppressant. 

If your coton de tulear isn’t drinking or eating much, you can offer some Pedialyte which you can pick up in most supermarkets or pharmacies. Just make sure there is no XYLITOL sweetener in it because that is dangerous for dogs. You can also offer low sodium chicken or beef broth that most dogs enjoy. 

For soothing the irritated throat I like to use honey and licorice mix or slippery elm bark powder mixed with warm water. 

Two ingredients, while generally safe, need specific caveats: 

Do not give raw honey to very young pups (less than a year old) because of the possible presence of botulism spore. 

Dogs with high blood pressure, heart conditions, or kidney disorders, who are pregnant or nursing should avoid licorice root. The use of licorice root causes increased sodium levels, increased blood pressure, and water retention as well as affect uterine function. For others, to be on the safe side, use the licorice up to five days max.

Both the raw honey and licorice extract are antimicrobial and antiviral. The licorice is a good expectorant and breaks up any mucus in the lungs. Honey can help soothe a sore throat.

You could also add ½ tsp of lemon to help cut any thick mucus.

Since both honey and licorice are sweet, I imagine your dog will be able to take it from a spoon or bowl rather than a syringe.

The dose for licorice root extract is 12-20 drops for every 20 pounds your dog weighs with one tablespoon of raw honey and a little warm water. Give twice a day.

It can be kept in the refrigerator for a few days.

Slippery elm bark powder is something else that can soothe the throat and is a very safe herb to use. Either put about 1 tsp in with their meal or make a tea of 1 tsp to one cup of water, simmer while stirring for a few minutes then let cool. The tea thickens and is somewhat slimy which is what helps coat the throat, reducing irritation. You can add a little honey (not too much… don’t want to spike blood sugars too high) and offer it to your dog in a bowl or syringe it into their mouth a few times a day. Slippery elm is good for lots of GI problems as well as upper respiratory irritation, so it’s handy to always have some on hand.

Could It Be Canine Distemper?

On a more serious side, how do you know it isn’t canine distemper instead of kennel cough?

Distemper not only has a respiratory symptoms but also fever, lethargy and diarrhea, which are not usually exhibited in kennel cough.

Bordetella Vaccine For Kennel Cough. Do you LIKE To Waste Your Money?

Go to the groomer’s. Go to the boarding kennel. It usually requires a bordetella vaccination every 6 months. Know why? It’s called CYA. Just in case a dog comes in with a case of kennel cough, the facilities want to make sure you can’t sue them. 

It is not uncommon to have a facility which requires the bordetella vaccine for every dog they take in, still have kennel cough outbreaks necessitating temporary closure of the business. In other words, all vaccinated dogs can still contract AND transmit the kennel cough germs. And this is called “effective”, SMH.

Remember, kennel cough can be a combination of germs not limited to the bordetella bacteria which makes the vaccine ineffective.

Please, don’t let bad science (read: no science) make you feel that you have to subject your coton to this insanity. Tell your groomer, boarding kennel, or training facility that you are willing to sign a waiver relieving them of any liability should your dog get kennel cough. Either that or let them know why you are walking away.

What? They worry that your dog may bring kennel cough into the facility and give it to other dogs? Hmmm, didn’t they just say that all the dogs are vaccinated in order to protect them from any exposure? That should mean all the other dogs are protected. The conversation will quickly devolve into the staff member saying it doesn’t matter, their regulations require it. I’m not sure how any of this makes logical sense. The Emperor has no clothes, folks.

Any dog that is relatively healthy and has a decent immune system will fight any environmental infection without difficulty. It is a self limiting disease, meaning, without doing anything, it will go away.  

FYI, I have had one case of a boarder bringing in kennel cough and I can attest to the fact that it was a very unpleasant month for all concerned with symptoms appearing sequentially in each of my dogs. This really dragged out the whole noisy affair for many weeks. But just like getting the cold or the flu, the philosophy that “this too shall pass” holds true.