Kennel cough in dogs is similar to a mild case of influenza in humans and is a highly infectious disease. Like influenza, the disease is also caused by a mixture of viruses and bacteria and affects the upper respiratory tract of dogs. Kennel cough can be a result of an underlying health problem such as heart disease, periodontal disease, heartworm, parasites, throat growths, pneumonia, irritations, and allergies.

You can determine if your dog has kennel cough by using the same technique as your vet. Place your fingers on your dog's trachea at the center of his neck, just above his collar. By gently pressing against his airway for just a second, if this immediately triggers a round of coughing, you can be reasonably sure your dog has kennel cough. Dogs suffering from kennel cough can be heard hacking persistently, with a runny nose, and nasal discharge. Some dogs appear lethargic and refuse to eat. The gagging cough and retching associated with this disease are upsetting for the dog and owner. Kennel cough differently may sound like a dry, vomiting-like type of cough. It is a sound that resonates inside the dog's body frame. Fever is one of the symptoms of kennel cough, although it always present in most dog diseases. When the dog coughs the bug is expelled in droplets and will immediately die unless inhaled by another dog.  Accordingly, a dog can only pick up the infection when it shares common air space with an infected dog.  This is one of the reasons that the illness has adopted the term “kennel cough”. 

Even though kennel cough is not immediately life threatening, in extreme cases, the infection can progress into pneumonia. Particularly in puppies and older dogs with a lower immune system, a trip to the vets is recommended as a course of antiobiotics can avoid a secondary infection. You can always play it on the safe side and take your dog straight to the vet when you suspect your dog has a case of kennel cough. In mild cases however, owners have found giving their dogs a teaspoonful of 'runny' honey x 3 times per day not only soothes but also acts as an antiseptic.Since the condition is caused by both bacteria and viruses, a double acting antibiotic is required. Once your dog has been exposed to the infection, it will generally take five to seven days before the signs of the disease are seen.  Depending on its severity, the signs of kennel cough can last from a few days to several weeks.  Sick dogs will not respond so eagerly to calls or stay in one corner of the house all day.

Kennel cough is a highly contagious disease. Therefore, your pet has to be cleared of it before it tries to infect the others. Dogs are social animals. You can't keep them in one place all day unless you put them on a leash or keep them inside a kennel. Remember that kennel cough can transfer from your dog to your cat and to other pets. So whenever one of them is affected, try to keep everybody else in their proper places.

Boarding kennels are an ideal environment for the disease to spread rapidly as large numbers of dogs are kept in unusually close contact. However, this infection can be picked up from dog shows, veterinary surgeries, or anywhere your dog is in close contact with another dog. Any reputable kennel will insist on a kennel cough vaccination .  This is an additional vaccination to the annual booster injection and needs to be administered by your vet at least 7-10 days prior to going into kennels. .  The vaccination is administered via the dogs nose and lasts from 6 months to a year, depending on the vaccine used by your veterinary surgeon.Basic home treatment for kennel cough includes keeping your dog warm, quiet and free from drafts, removing the collar to prevent it stimulating cough, encouraging your dog to drink plenty of fresh water, and providing wet food in case your dogs throat is sore and irritated. You can provide additional relief giving him a vaporizing treatment three times a day. Run a hot bath and let the steam build up with the door closed. Take your dog into the bathroom and let him breathe in the steam for 20 minutes. The vapor will help open his bronchial tubes which will make the cough more productive enabling the dog to rid himself of the phlegm clogging his airways.

Even after the coughing has stopped, your dog can remain infectious for up to three months.