Why Your Pet Needs the Bordetella Vaccine

Is your pet in frequent contact with other animals? Are the often in a day care, boarding, or grooming facility? If you answered yes to any of these questions, making sure your dog or cat stays up-to-date on their kennel cough vaccination is extremely important – here’s why.

Kennel cough is a general term used to cover an upper respiratory infection caused by a number of different organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Everyday inhabitants of the airways can serve as hosts to transfer these organ- isms into the body of your dog or cat, which is why kennel cough is so contagious in environments with high concentrations of dogs and cats.

A significant portion of these airborne agents don’t have preventative vaccines, however Bordetella does. Immunizing against the preventable organisms reduces the likelihood of a life-threatening illness from developing.

WHAT IS BORDETELLA

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a highly contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract that is transmitted through airborne pathogens, saliva, and respiratory secretions such as sneezing and coughing. This highly resistant bacteria cannot be destroyed by the environment and therefore tends to linger in the air for an unpredictable amount of time. Dogs and cats can rapidly acquire the disease through the air and direct contact.

SYMPTOMS

The most common sign of kennel cough is harsh, dry cough that is often followed by gagging and coughing up foamy mucus. In severe cases, or when left untreated, the virus can turn into broncheophenmonia which could potentially lead to death; especially in young kittens and puppies, dogs and cats with underlying conditions, and senior pets.

RECOMMENDED VACCINATION SCHEDULE

Puppies and kittens should receive their first Bordetella vaccination when they are 8 weeks old, with a second vaccination at 13 weeks of age. After the first the year, it is recommended to administer a booster every 6 to 12 months. If your pet is in frequent contact with other cats and dogs it is highly recommended to administer the booster every 6 months to keep them fully protected from the virus.
It’s important to keep in mind that while immunizations cannot always guarantee 100% prevention, they will reduce the severity of the disease along with the potential for spreading the bacteria to other pets. Immunizations are not only important for keeping an individual pet protected, but also for keeping the population of pets safe collectively.