Veterinarians moved to this name because no single germ explains every case. Several bacteria and viruses can be involved, often together.
What the name covers
The AKC lists Bordetella bronchiseptica as a common cause of kennel cough but notes that mycoplasmas and viruses such as parainfluenza, adenovirus type 2 and canine respiratory coronavirus can take part too. Cornell's Riney Canine Health Center explains the name the same way: several agents, often more than one at a time. That is why a dog can catch a cough despite a vaccine.
Signs and timeline
A harsh, honking cough is the main sign. Gagging, sneezing, a runny nose, eye discharge, mild tiredness and sometimes a low fever or reduced appetite can follow. The AKC gives an incubation of 2 to 14 days and says most dogs recover in one to three weeks. Dogs should stay away from others while coughing and for at least two weeks after it stops.
How it spreads
Direct contact, droplets from coughing and shared objects such as water bowls and toys carry it. Cold air, poor ventilation and stress raise a dog's susceptibility. Kennels, day care, dog parks and shows are higher-contact places. The Happy Paws kennel-cough notice says outbreaks happen occasionally and usually clear in a few days, and that vaccines cover only some of the causes.
What Happy Paws asks
Dogs need current rabies, distemper/parvo and Bordetella vaccines through the end of the stay. Canine influenza is recommended but not required. Read canine respiratory illness outbreaks, kennel cough and boarding and kennel cough risk. See also the Bordetella entry.
Protecting your dog before a stay
Check the dates on every vaccine record, and book your vet visit early enough for the recommended canine influenza booster. Keep a coughing dog home. Avoid new dog-park trips in the week before a stay if you can, because a mild cold picked up there can show up while your dog is away. Bring your dog's normal food, since stress and sudden diet changes lower resistance, and arrive at a calm pace.
After the stay, watch for a cough for the next two weeks, matching the 2 to 14 day incubation the AKC gives. Call your vet early if breathing looks hard.