Vaccinating Dogs for Canine Kennel Cough

Protecting Against Bordetella and Other Causes of Tracheobronchitis

Aug 29, 2009

Canine kennel cough is a multifactorial disease and vaccines against Bordetella and other infectious agents which affect the respiratory tract are used to protect dogs.

Canine kennel cough is also called canine infectious tracheobronchitis and has many different causes. As a result of the multifactorial nature of the disease, there is not a vaccination which can be administered as a single entity which will prevent a dog from becoming infected with kennel cough. However, there are several vaccinations which are commonly given which can help decrease the severity of the disease when a dog is exposed to canine kennel cough.

Vaccinating Against Canine Distemper and Canine Adenovirus as Protection Against Kennel Cough

Canine distemper and canine adenovirus are both viruses which are known to contribute to causing canine kennel cough. Vaccinating against these diseases can therefore help provide some protection for dogs exposed to kennel cough. Vaccinations against these viruses are considered core vaccines and should be administered for most dogs, regardless of whether the pet is likely to be exposed to kennel cough or not.

Vaccination Against Bordetella bronchiseptica as Protection Against Kennel Cough

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a bacteria which is also often at least partially responsible for the symptoms of canine kennel cough. Many people actually refer to vaccinations against Bordetella as "kennel cough vaccines" although this terminology is somewhat misleading. It is important to note that vaccines against Bordetella are not considered core vaccines and are not recommended for dogs who are not at risk of exposure to kennel cough.

Vaccinations against Bordetella may be administered as an injection or as an intra-nasal vaccine. Both forms of the vaccine have advantages and disadvantages.

Injectable vaccines against Bordetella are normally given in a series of two vaccines given 2-4 weeks apart after the age of 4 months. Annual boosters are usually recommended once the initial series has been completed.

Injectable vaccines against Bordetella provide good systemic immunity to the disease, but do not provide a local immunity within the respiratory tract where the infection occurs. The systemic immune response elicited by the injectable vaccine is not immediate and takes approximately 4 days to occur.

Intra-nasal vaccinations against Bordetella can be given as early as 3 weeks of age. Only one vaccine is necessary initially and immunity will last 12 months.

Intra-nasal Bordetella vaccines generate a local immune response in the respiratory tract which is elicited much more quickly than the systemic immunity provided by the injectable vaccine. However, the intra-nasal vaccination does cause a low-grade form of disease which quite often results in sneezing and a runny nose after the vaccination. Many pet owners find this reaction troubling or even unacceptable, though it is temporary and non-life-threatening.

There is some evidence to suggest that vaccination with both types of vaccines simultaneously may benefit puppies placed in extremely high risk situations.

Canine Influenza and Kennel Cough

Canine influenza is a viral disease which is virtually indistinquishable clinically from other causes of kennel cough. Recently, a new vaccine has been conditionally licensed against canine influenza. As with the Bordetella vaccines, the canine influenza vaccine is a non-core vaccine and should be administered only to dogs at risk for exposure to kennel cough.

Though commonly referred to as the "kennel cough" vaccine, the reality is that more than a simple vaccination against Bordetella is necessary to protect a dog from kennel cough. Ideally, avoidance of exposure is the best way to prevent the individual dog from developing canine kennel cough. However, in reality, this is often not possible or practical. However, making certain that a dog is current on core vaccines against canine distemper and canine adenovirus as well as vaccinating at risk dogs for Bordetella and canine influenza can help protect dogs from canine kennel cough. Of course, a healthy dog with a strong immune system is also much less likely to develop disease than an ill dog. Pet owners should realize that even when vaccinations are administered, their dogs can still develop kennel cough. However, the course of the disease is likely to be milder than that of an unvaccinated dog.

Demonstration of 1-year duration of immunity for attenuated Bordetella bronchiseptica vaccines in dogs. Craig Lehar et al. Veterinary Therapeutics. Winter 2008;9(4):257-62.

Comparison of the mucosal immune response in dogs vaccinated with either an intranasal avirulent culture or a subcutaneous antigen extract vaccine of Bordetella bronchiseptica. Davis R, Jayappa H, Abdelmagid OY, et al. Veterinary Therapeutics 2007;8:32-40.

Effect of vaccination on experimental infection with Bordetella bronchiseptica in dogs. Ellis JA, Haines DM, West KH, et al. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2001;218:367-375.

Comparative efficacy of an injectable vaccine and an intranasal vaccine in stimulating Bordetella bronchiseptica-reactive antibody responses in seropositive dogs. Ellis JA, Krakowka GS, Dayton AD, et al. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2002; 220:43-48.

The Conundrum of the Contagious Canine Cough. Eleanor C. Hawkins, Leah A. Cohn. Proceedings, Western Veterinary Conference 2008.

The copyright of the article Vaccinating Dogs for Canine Kennel Cough in Pet Diseases is owned by Lorie Huston. Permission to republish Vaccinating Dogs for Canine Kennel Cough in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.