Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection in dogs that causes significant discomfort and welfare impact, particularly in boarding and rehoming environments.
Kennel cough causes significant discomfort through persistent coughing that can be severe enough to cause gagging and retching. Sleep disruption from nocturnal coughing affects both dog and owner. Severely affected dogs stop eating and drinking due to laryngeal discomfort. Complications including pneumonia carry higher welfare risk particularly in vulnerable individuals. Boarding kennels are high-risk environments due to close dog-to-dog contact. Vaccination significantly reduces disease severity even when it does not fully prevent infection. Welfare management includes rest, avoiding collars that put pressure on the trachea, and veterinary assessment for secondary bacterial infection requiring antibiotics.