Bronchitis in dogs is the inflammation of one or more of the respiratory airways, which are called bronchi and which take air to and from the lungs. When the condition often also affects the trachea (or “wind pipe”), it is called tracheobronchitis. Another name that is sometimes used for chronic bronchitis is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Bronchitis in dogs can be either an acute (sudden-onset) or a chronic (slow onset) condition. Acute canine bronchitis often
The hallmark of chronic bronchitis in domestic dogs is a cough of unknown origin that persists for two or more months.A harsh, dry cough that may or may not be productive is the classic sign of bronchitis. Dogs with chronic bronchitis have a cough that lasts more than two months and is not attributable to any identifiable source or cause. The cough usually is not more or less prevalent during the day or at night
Chronic bronchitis is a slowly progressive disease in domestic dogs that unfortunately is almost never reversible or curable. However, in most cases, it can be well-managed with medication and environmental modification.When presented with a dog whose primary clinical sign is coughing, a veterinarian will take a complete history from the owner and conduct a thorough physical examination. She usually will be able to elicit a cough on palpation of the trachea and may hear characteristic
The goals of treating canine bronchitis are to relieve inflammation of the sensitive lining of the airways, remove any physical airway obstructions, alleviate the frequency and severity of the dog’s cough and cure any secondary respiratory tract infections.The attending veterinarian has a number of pharmaceutical medications at her disposal to manage dogs with bronchitis. In acute cases, antibiotics, bronchodilators, anti-inflammatory drugs and/or cough suppressants may be appropriate. Cough suppressants should not be used if the