Kennel cough (infectious tracheobronchitis) is a highly contagious respiratory complex in dogs that causes distressing coughing and can progress to pneumonia in vulnerable individuals.
Kennel cough causes a paroxysmal cough that is distressing in its frequency and force. Dogs experience repeated coughing fits throughout the day and night, with the violent coughing causing chest and throat irritation that perpetuates the cycle. Many affected dogs cannot sleep normally during acute illness. The psychological stress of illness combined with separation from familiar environments (if boarded) amplifies distress. Dogs with progressing pneumonia face the serious welfare impacts of respiratory compromise. The highly contagious nature of kennel cough means that poorly managed group settings can expose dozens of dogs simultaneously.