Kennel cough is one of those conditions that is often underestimated in practice. It sounds harmless—"just a cough"—but for many dogs and their owners, it can be an intense, exhausting, and sometimes even frightening experience. Especially when the cough persists, worsens, or recurs repeatedly.

Kennel cough, officially called infectious tracheobronchitis , isn't a single disease with a single cause. It's a combination of multiple bacteria and viruses that irritate and inflame the respiratory tract. The trachea and bronchi become hypersensitive, meaning any stimulus—cold, exertion, excitement—can trigger a new coughing fit.