It seems that everybody has had a period of head colds, coughs (and in my case – Man flu!) recently! With the EKKA here, the seasonal flu merry-go-round is in full swing. Those of us with young kids seem to be particularly affected as schools and child care locations seem to be a boiling pot of repeated reinfection and adaptation by the viruses! Avian flu, swine flu, ebola …. these viruses are incredibly adaptable organisms with an admirable ability to survive and evolve no matter what we throw at them! Like most people I hate change, but viruses …… they are masters of it!
This is also the time of the year that we start to see numerous cases of Canine cough. (This used to be called Kennel cough – until kennels pushed for a change in name as they thought that they were getting a bad rap!) Canine cough is caused by a group of viruses – Canine Adenovirus; Parainfluenza virus, Influenza virus (Dog flu!) and a bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica. (Yes … it is as nasty as it sounds.)
Fortunately we can vaccinate against the first 2 viruses, and this is why it is important to keep up to date with your dog’s annual vaccination; however we will still see the occasional case of canine cough in a vaccinated patient. Much like us and the flu vaccine though, they will still have a decent level of protection and their symptoms should be less severe and respond better to treatment.
The cough created by canine cough is quite recognisable. It often looks like your dog is trying to vomit and a lot of people get quite concerned as they think their pet may have something stuck in their throat. The good news is that the cough can be easily treated and in vaccinated animals rarely progresses to full blown pneumonia. We are also yet to have our first case of human dog flu!
So, the next time you hear your dog coughing and spluttering, keep them warm and rested, offer them some honey water and soft food and come down to see us for some antibiotics to clear up that nasty Bordetella bronchiseptica, and remember how I feel with my man flu!