"Bronchitis" in a dog usually means one of two very different problems: an acute, contagious tracheobronchitis that spreads wherever dogs mix (kennel cough, now called canine infectious respiratory disease complex, CIRDC), or chronic bronchitis, a long-term inflammatory airway disease of mostly older, smaller dogs. Both cause a harsh cough, so the NAVLE expects you to separate them from each other and from tracheal collapse, heart disease and pneumonia, and to know when steroids, antibiotics and cough suppressants help or harm.
Key facts
Bronchitis at a glance- Species and system: dog; lower respiratory tract (trachea and bronchi).
- Acute infectious form (CIRDC): mixed viral and bacterial agents, classically Bordetella bronchiseptica with canine parainfluenza virus; spreads in kennels, shelters, daycare and dog parks.
- Chronic bronchitis: cough on most days for at least 2 months with no other identifiable cause; typically an older small-breed dog that is otherwise well.
- Classic presentation: dry, harsh or honking cough, often ending in a gag or retch, easily triggered by tracheal palpation.
- Key test for chronic bronchitis: bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) showing non-septic neutrophilic inflammation and excess mucus, after other causes are excluded.
- Zoonotic or reportable: not reportable. B. bronchiseptica rarely infects people, mainly immunocompromised people.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention and control
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 3 figures, 3 self-test questions and 13 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.