Parainfluenza in Dogs: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

A dry, honking cough in a dog that otherwise seems well is often kennel cough, and canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV) is one of its common causes. Most dogs recover at home. Some need a vet, and puppies are the most at risk.

What it is

Kennel cough has a medical name, canine infectious respiratory disease (CIRD). It's a group of infections that can include CPIV, canine adenovirus 2, Bordetella bronchiseptica (a bacterium), and sometimes canine influenza or distemper virus. Dogs often carry more than one at the same time.

CPIV is a dog virus. Despite the name, it isn't the human flu virus.

How it spreads

• Droplets when an infected dog coughs or sneezes
• Direct contact between dogs
• Shared bowls, toys and other items an infected dog has used

It spreads fastest where many dogs meet: boarding kennels, daycare, grooming salons, shelters, dog shows, dog parks and vet waiting rooms. The incubation period is usually 2 to 10 days.

Symptoms

• A dry, harsh cough that sounds like a goose honk, sometimes followed by retching or gagging
• A cough that gets worse with excitement, exercise or pressure on the throat, for example from a collar
• Nasal discharge, sometimes
• Tiredness and a lower appetite

A dog with a mild case keeps eating and stays fairly active. The worst usually passes within the first 5 days, but the cough can last 10 to 20 days.

Signs of something more serious

Call a vet the same day if your dog has:

• Fast or laboured breathing, or blue or pale gums
• A wet, productive cough
• A high fever, thick yellow or green nasal discharge
• No interest in food, or marked tiredness
• A cough that's getting worse after several days

These can mean the infection has spread to the lungs (pneumonia). Puppies, older dogs and dogs with other illnesses are most at risk. If your dog is struggling to breathe, go to the nearest emergency vet clinic. Our own clinic is open Monday, Thursday and Friday 10:00 to 16:00, and Tuesday and Wednesday 09:00 to 17:00.

Diagnosis

The vet listens to the chest, checks the temperature and asks about contact with other dogs. For a mild case that's often enough, and no tests are needed. If pneumonia is suspected, the vet may take chest X-rays or blood tests, or swab the nose or throat for a PCR test to find the cause. Other conditions, such as heart disease, can also cause coughing, so a cough that doesn't clear should be checked.

Treatment

CPIV is a virus, so antibiotics don't treat it. Most dogs just need rest and time.

• Rest and quiet. Keep exercise gentle and avoid situations that excite your dog.
• No collar pressure. Walk your dog on a chest strap, since pressure on the throat sets off the cough.
• Clean air. Keep the home free of smoke and other irritants.
• Water and food. Offer water at all times, and warm or soften food if your dog eats less.
• Away from other dogs. Keep your dog away from other dogs while it's coughing, and ask your vet when it's safe to return to walks, daycare or boarding.

The vet may prescribe a cough suppressant if the cough stops your dog from resting. These aren't suitable for a wet cough or for pneumonia. Antibiotics are used only when a bacterial infection is likely. A dog with pneumonia may need to stay at the clinic for fluids, oxygen and injected medicine.

Never give your dog human cough medicine or other human medication without asking a vet.

Prevention

Vaccination doesn't stop every infection, but it makes the illness milder and lowers the risk of pneumonia. The CPIV vaccine is usually part of a combination injection with distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus) and parvovirus. The WSAVA classes it as a non-core vaccine, which means your vet recommends it based on your dog's lifestyle and where you live.

• Puppies are vaccinated from 6 to 8 weeks of age, with repeat doses every 2 to 4 weeks until about 16 weeks.
• Booster vaccinations are given on a schedule your vet sets, usually yearly for the kennel cough vaccines.
• An intranasal vaccine for Bordetella and CPIV is also available. Your vet can say whether it suits your dog.

Dogs that board, go to daycare or groomers, or meet many other dogs benefit most. Other things that help: keep your puppy away from unfamiliar dogs until the vaccine course is finished, wash bowls and toys, and stay away from places with a known outbreak.

What to do next

If your dog is coughing, book a check-up with our veterinary service, or contact the clinic with questions about vaccinations. If you're planning a stay, see dog boarding.