Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis
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- Synonyms: Kennel cough, Infectious tracheobronchitis
- tracheitis, bronchitis
- Multiple agents implicated:
- Symptoms are of a persistent, non-productive cough
- Persistent tracheobronchial inflammation
- The outcomes is generally recovery (may persist >3 weeks), but extension to chronic bronchitis or cranioventral bronchopneumonia may occur
- In severe cases can extend to serous/mucopurulent rhinitis
- Lesions are neither specific nor always significant (catarrhal / mucopurulent tracheobronchitis)
- Enlarged tonsils and retropharyngeal lymph nodes
- B. bronchiseptica acts as a primary pathogen in Infectious canine tracheitis
- Frequently isolated from dogs with respiratory disease
- Often found with viruses or mycoplasma
- Adheres to ciliated epithelial cells in the trachea
- Colonisation and proliferation in trachea
- Releases toxins causing epithelial necrosis and prevents ciliary clearance
- Irritation to tract causes coughing
- Mortality rates low
- Peribronchial inflammation and bronchopneumonia
can result in unvaccinated puppies or immunosuppressed dogs
- Severe pneumonia following secondary infection e.g. with Streptococci
- Fatal bronchopneumonia if occurs secondary to canine distemper virus
- Transmission via respiratory secretions by direct contact or aerosol and on fomites
- Clinical signs:
- Develop within 3-4 days; persist for up to 2 weeks
- Coughing
- Gagging
- Mild serous oculonasal discharge
- Treatments includes antibiotics if coughing persists or bronchopneumonia develops
- Live intranasal vaccines
- Also found in respiratory tract of cats; can cause pneumonia in kittens; vaccine available