VIDEO: Learn About Kennel Cough and Heart Cough

A goose-honking, harsh cough is a call for help from a dog with kennel cough. Not only is the throat-clearing or hacking cough extremely distressing for the dog, but also it can be a disturbing, heart-breaking noise for their human companions whom they live with. Coughing every few minutes throughout the day can ruin any dog’s plan for some action-packed activities for the day, as vigorous play may elicit the unproductive coughing. On occasions, this canine cough comes with sneezing or nasal discharge and can complicate to pneumonia, with signs and symptoms such as fever and loss of appetite.

Kennel cough, or, as it is technically termed, “infectious tracheobronchitis,” is a respiratory infection of the dog’s airways. The lining of windpipe (or trachea) and the smaller airways becomes irritated and inflamed from the onslaught of this infection’s agents, including a number of viruses and Bordetella bronchiseptica, a bacterium. What’s fearsome about the infection is that it is highly contagious through close contact. Dog kennels and shelters with several housed dogs are thus perfect areas for the infection to spread from dog to dog – hence the name of the disease.

But there’s another kind of cough every dog owner should watch out for too. Sometimes a hacking, gagging, and honking cough can indicate heart disease and heart failure. When a disease involves the heart, you don’t have to be a genius to realize that it’s serious. Heart enlargement distinct to some diseases exerts pressure to your dog’s airways and results in bouts of coughing. When fluid abnormally accumulates in the lungs (i.e., edema) due to heart failure, this as well can lead to the characteristic cough as a means by your dog to clear his lungs.

Dr. Greg Martinez provides an interesting, informative video about kennel cough and heart cough. No pet owner would want to hear these coughs in their household from their dogs, but it pays to know.

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Photo – www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YuWHL8eSug