French Bulldog Kennel Cough: Kennel cough has become a common nickname for tracheobronchitis in dogs. There are several pathogens and viruses that can cause it in dogs.
Known for its severe, hacking cough sound, kennel cough is extremely contagious. Your French Bulldog’s respiratory tract, windpipe, and voice box can be inflamed with kennel cough.
What Gives Kennel Cough In Your French Bulldog
The disease can be associated with several various viruses and bacteria, sometimes a mixture of these. Your French Bulldogs can get infected by inhaling the above bacteria or pathogens into their respiratory system. It’s often caused by a bacteria called Bordetella bronchiseptica. Nevertheless, Bordetella infection is more likely to occur when the French Bulldog’s immune system has been compromised, usually due to a viral infection.
A few viruses are known to make your French Bulldog more prone to getting kennel cough. Adenoviruses, distemper viruses, herpes viruses, parainfluenza viruses can all be found in dogs and add to an increased risk.
Symptoms Of Kennel Cough
| Dry, hacking cough |
| Sneezing and snorting |
| Fever and lethargy |
| Eye and nasal discharge |
| Gagging or vomiting |
Recurring dry cough typically occurs within three to ten days of exposure. Canine cough isn’t quite as severe as it once was, nor is most of the illnesses we immunize.
Vaccination has become accessible, enabling your vet to use an applicator rather than an injection to administer the vaccination into your Frenchies’ nose.
Often the cough will sound like your Frenchie has something caught in its throat. It can be dry and thick or contain a mucus-like sound.
How Does Your Frenchie Get Kennel Cough
Kennel cough is extremely infectious. It is called kennel cough, as it can easily spread across a kennel, infecting many dogs. Your Frenchie can catch Kennel Cough when particulates expelled from a sick dog coughs, direct contact with an infected dog or the playing or using contaminated items can spread kennel cough to your French Bulldog.
Kennel cough spreads whenever dogs are housed nearby, but it can also transmit when your Frenchie approaches an infected dog while walking or drinking from a dirty water bowl in the local park.
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Is Kennel Cough Fatal For Dogs?
Most dogs with kennel cough should improve without difficulty, but some dogs may become very ill with life-threatening pneumonia.
Dogs that are more vulnerable to kennel cough complications include:
| Elderly dogs with reduced immune defense or other serious illnesses (cardiac failure, diabetes, or cancer) |
| Puppies with inadequate immune systems (particularly young puppies not entirely immunized) |
| Pregnant dogs with a reduced immune system |
| Dogs with various respiratory conditions. |
Visit Your Vet If You Think Your Frenchie Has Kennel Cough
When you believe that your Frenchie has a cough that sounds similar to kennel cough, see your vet as soon as possible since there is no exact kennel cough test. Your vet will use your dog’s history and process of elimination to come up with a diagnosis.
Your vet will test your French Bulldog to rule out other causes of the cough, like cardiovascular disease, fungal and parasitic illnesses such as heartworm disease, collapsed trachea, or even cancer.
If your Frenchie does have Kennel cough, they typically have an exposure within their background — for example, the newly adopted dog from a rescue, pet shop, or breeder, as well as recently been to a pet boarding house or dog park trips.
Your vet will consider whether they suspect kennel cough based on the test and the above background.
Treatment Of Kennel Cough
Treatment is dependent upon symptom severity. No drugs are given in very mild instances because the illness is self-limiting and, therefore, will end, just like a normal cold. Humidifiers can also support your Frenchies’ cough.
More severe infections can be treated with oral antibiotics, and cough suppressants can also be used. The majority of cases are resolved within two weeks.
When symptoms do not improve, your French Bulldog should be re-evaluated, and more testing may be needed. Kennel cough may sometimes advance toward pneumonia, so it is crucial to watch your Frenchie and notify your vet if they are not improving.
When your French Bulldog is lethargic, refuses to eat, develops breathing problems, or experiences persistent nasal discharge or productive cough, see your veterinarian.
If you believe that your Frenchie has kennel cough, separate them from other dogs so that they do not propagate the disease.
How Can Kennel Cough Be Prevented
You should get your Frenchie vaccinated for Bordatella if they are in confined spaces with other animals like a dog shelter, pet daycare, or dog shows.
A vet will most likely suggest immunization once a year or, sometimes in circumstances, every six months.
Beware, though this vaccine protects not every source of kennel cough. The only true way to avoid kennel cough altogether is to keep your Frenchie away from all dogs and animals, which is unrealistic.
Some steps can be taken to help protect your French Bulldog from being diagnosed with kennel cough.
You must disinfect crates, bed linen, and food and water bowls after coming home from dog parks or dogs show if there was a known case of kennel cough.
Your Frenchie must not be permitted to have face-to-face contact with other dogs in these instances or allow them to drink from public water bowls.
Home Remedies for Kennel Cough
There are several at-home treatments for mild cases of kennel cough.
| Humidifier | It would help if you placed a humidifier close to your Frenchie while they sleep. Humidifier mist the air your French Bulldog is breathing, which can assist relieve respiratory tract discomfort. |
| Honey in Warm Water | Honey is also a nice home cure for kennel cough since it can relieve your Frenchie’s throat and help it stop coughing. Mix half tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of honey combined with some warm water in a mug. Depending on how heavy your Frenchie coughs, this can be given 2 – 3 times per day. |
| Plenty of Rest | Sleep is crucial for your Frenchie when it’s trying to get over kennel cough. Reduce your French Bulldogs’ normal amount of physical activity as they recover from kennel cough. |
| Do Steam Therapy | When you have a hot shower, let your Frenchie stay while you’re in the closed shower room. The hot shower will offer steam treatment and relieve irritation as well. |
Recovering From Kennel Cough
When your Frenchie is recovering from kennel cough at your home, make sure that allergens like cleaning products, tobacco smoke, and dust are avoided. They can cause further irritation, which can extend the healing of your French Bulldog.
When taking your Frenchie outside, you should recommend using a harness rather than a collar. The harness would enable you to stroll while not putting pressure on your French Bulldogs neck like a collar would, which could exacerbate the coughing of your Frenchie.