How do I know if I have kennel cough or distemper?
Distemper in dogs is caused by a virus which is spread through most body fluids including saliva, urine, and blood. It is highly contagious and often deadly. At first, the disease mimics kennel cough, with goopy eyes, fever, runny nose, coughing, and tiredness the most common symptoms.
Can kennel cough become distemper?
However, distemper does occur intermittently, especially in shelters located in communities with many unvaccinated dogs. Mild or early cases of distemper can appear identical to run-of-the-mill “kennel cough”. For this reason, complacency about symptoms of respiratory illness can prove disastrous.
Do dogs with distemper cough?
With distemper, it can take up to four weeks before signs are noted. The most common signs are typically mild and include a cough (especially when pressure is applied to the trachea or windpipe), sneezing and eye discharge. The cough can often sound like the dog is retching or it could be described as dry and hacking.
What does it mean if your dog has kennel cough?
Kennel cough is the older name given to upper respiratory tract infections in dogs. It was classically associated with dogs going to kennels and was associated with either a Bordetella bronchiseptica or canine parainfluenza (CPIV) infection. These are the components of what most people consider the “kennel cough” vaccine.
Are there any clinical signs of canine distemper?
Clinical signs of distemper are often unapparent or mild, especially in shelters that vaccinate most or all dogs at intake.
How to prevent the spread of canine distemper?
The virus is readily inactivated by most commonly used disinfectants. Routine hygienic precautions are generally adequate to prevent spread. The most important factor in shelter decontamination is quarantine/removal of incubating and mildly/sub-clinically affected animals. Vaccination is the cornerstone of distemper prevention in a shelter.
How long does it take for kennel cough to clear up?
There is no easy home remedy to cure kennel cough other than time. Most dogs will clear the infection themselves in 10-14 days (with the exception of distemper, which can take weeks or months to clear). As long as the dog is acting fine otherwise and the cough is not worsening, you could wait before doing any treatment.
What do you need to know about distemper in dogs?
Distemper is one of the most serious diseases your dog can get. It is also one of the most preventable. Here are the facts, symptoms, treatment options, and prevention methods that every dog owner needs to know about distemper. What Is Canine Distemper? Canine distemper should sound familiar to you if your dog is up-to-date […]
Kennel cough is the older name given to upper respiratory tract infections in dogs. It was classically associated with dogs going to kennels and was associated with either a Bordetella bronchiseptica or canine parainfluenza (CPIV) infection. These are the components of what most people consider the “kennel cough” vaccine.
How long does it take for kennel cough to go away?
Reactions to vaccines usually happen one to two hours after the vaccine and vary from dog to dog. If coughing lasts for more than a few days, give your vet a call. Can Dogs Get Kennel Cough from the Vaccine?
Can a Raccoon get distemper from a dog?
Wild animals like raccoons, foxes, wolves, coyotes, skunks, ferrets, and mink can also get distemper. This means that an outbreak of distemper in the local wildlife population can put dogs at risk for catching the disease even if they do not come into contact with other dogs.