Myth busters: kennel cough

It’s not uncommon for us to be asked, “if my dog doesn’t go to boarding kennels, why is it necessary to vaccinate against kennel cough?”

It’s time to bust some myths surrounding this and here are the facts …

Kennel cough’s correct name is ‘canine cough’. It is often incorrectly referred to as ‘kennel cough’ and this is simply because the boarding kennels are a common place for it to be transmitted (given the high numbers of dogs in one area.)

Canine cough is commonly spread via water droplets through the air and can be transmitted between ANY dog. Common sites of transmission include the park, at the groomer, doggy daycare and even walking down the street! As it can be spread through water droplets, a communal water doggy bowl at your local cafe may even be a potential source.

Vaccination is essential as it protects your dog against the worst strains of the disease (the ones that can typically cause nasty pneumonia). BUT it’s important to realise that dogs can still contract a cough even if they are vaccinated. Thankfully the disease is never as bad as if they aren’t vaccinated.

If you have any questions about vaccination and your pet, we are the best people to ask for advice.