How to Treat Kennel Cough

Kennel cough is a common term for an infectious disease of dogs that are kept in a kennel and spread from other dogs. More precisely, kennel cough, also known as infectious tracheobronchitis, is a general term for various forms of upper respiratory tract infection in dogs. The most common causative agents of kennel cough are Parainfluenza virus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Mycoplasma, Canine adenovirus (types 1 and 2), Canine Reovirus (types 1,2, and 3), and Canine herpes virus. ^{[1] X Research source A field investigation of Kennel Cough – efficacy and different treatments. Thrusfield & Aitken. JSAP 32, 455.}

Table of Contents

Recognizing kennel cough

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Understand risk factors. Kennel cough is extremely contagious. If your dog has been exposed to other dogs in the park or in a kennel, he may have been exposed. ^{[2] X Research source A field investigation of Kennel Cough – efficacy and different treatments. Thrusfield & Aitken. JSAP 32, 455.}

One person asked: “Can a dog who has had kennel cough get infected again?”
Veterinarian Pippa Elliot replied, “Yes. Kennel cough is a general term used to describe the symptom, not the cause. For example, a dog that has recovered from a cough caused by strain A is a general term used to describe the symptoms of the disease. If it turns out, it will later have antibodies to strain A. But if that dog is infected with strain B, which causes kennel cough symptoms, the dog has no antibodies to this strain and will again show the symptoms. symptoms again.”

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Hear cough. Infected dogs often develop sudden coughs, which can vary in severity, from persistent inaudible coughs to severe, dry coughs. ^{[3] X Research Source Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis. Ford & Vade. Infectious Diseases of the Cat and Dog. Publisher: WB Saunders. 2nd edition.}

The dry, productive cough is often confused with the case of a dog choking on something in the throat. If possible, open the dog’s mouth to check for any bones or rods stuck inside.
Another way to determine if a dog is choking on a foreign body is to give the dog its favorite treat. A choking dog won’t be able to eat it, so if you find that your dog eats and swallows without difficulty, there’s probably no foreign object stuck in the dog’s throat. ^{[4] X Research Source Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis. Ford & Vade. Infectious Diseases of the Cat and Dog. Publisher: WB Saunders. 2nd edition.}

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Observe the spitting phenomenon. Just like people get a sore throat when they have the flu, so do dogs when they have kennel cough. This condition leads to reflex episodes of vomiting, retching, and vomiting. ^{[5] X Research Source Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis. Ford & Vade. Infectious Diseases of the Cat and Dog. Publisher: WB Saunders. 2nd edition.}

In some dogs, the condition is so severe that they regurgitate drool or foam at the mouth.
Dogs that are vomiting due to nausea (not from coughing too much) will vomit yellow bile or food from the stomach. This is a sign of another problem. ^{[6] X Research Source Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis. Ford & Vade. Infectious Diseases of the Cat and Dog. Publisher: WB Saunders. 2nd edition.}

Treatment of dog kennel cough

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Isolate sick dogs. Kennel cough is very contagious, because the pathogen will spread through the air each time the dog coughs and spreads the disease. If you suspect your dog has kennel cough, it’s important to immediately isolate the sick dog from other dogs. ^{[8] X Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion . Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

Do not take a sick dog for a walk.
Other dogs living in the house are also at risk. However, they are already exposed before symptoms appear, so it is not helpful to isolate sick dogs during this period. ^{[9] X Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion . Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

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Take your dog to the doctor. It is best to take your dog with a cough to the vet as soon as possible. Your doctor will determine if your dog’s cough is due to an infection or another cause, such as heart disease. Your doctor can also tell you if your dog needs treatment. ^{[10] X Research Source Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis. Ford & Vade. Infectious Diseases of the Cat and Dog. Publisher: WB Saunders. 2nd edition.}

Your veterinarian will perform a general exam on your dog, including taking his temperature, palpating the size of the lymph nodes in his throat, examining the dog’s mouth for foreign bodies, and using a stethoscope to listen to the heart and lungs.
In the absence of a heart murmur and if there is a high probability that your dog has kennel cough, your veterinarian may recommend a “diagnosis and treatment” instead of blood and other costly tests. If the treatment is not responding as expected, your dog will continue to be tested further. ^{[11] X Research Source Canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis. Ford & Vade. Infectious Diseases of the Cat and Dog. Publisher: WB Saunders. 2nd edition.}
When you call the clinic to make an appointment with your doctor, you should let them know that you suspect your dog has kennel cough. They will probably ask you to wait outside the clinic until the doctor calls in to reduce the risk of infecting other dogs waiting inside.

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Give your dog antibiotics if necessary. Your veterinarian may or may not prescribe antibiotics. If you must take antibiotics, give them to your dog as prescribed.

Not all cases require antibiotics. This is because the infection can be caused by a virus and antibiotics are ineffective in this case, and the dog’s immune system needs to fight and destroy the infection. There is no way to distinguish viral and bacterial infections based on physical examination alone. ^{[12] X Research source A field investigation of Kennel Cough – efficacy and different treatments. Thrusfield & Aitken. JSAP 32, 455.}
However, if the dog is unable to fight the infection on its own, or if the veterinarian finds that the dog has a fever or hears signs of congestion in the dog’s chest, these are signs that the dog has a secondary bacterial infection. initial (probably viral or bacterial infection). In these cases, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. ^{[13] X Research source A field investigation of Kennel Cough – efficacy and different treatments. Thrusfield & Aitken. JSAP 32, 455.}

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Give your dog a steam bath. Close windows and doors to the bathroom, and run a hot shower for a few minutes. Let the dog sit in the steam for about 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to let the dog enter the hot water. ^{[14] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

Sauna therapy helps loosen mucus in the dog’s chest and helps relieve coughing. You can repeat this process as many times a day as needed. ^{[15] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}
Never leave your dog unattended in a bathroom with hot water alone; Dogs can get burned.

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Let the dog rest. Try not to let your dog engage in intense activities.

Do not walk the dog. Not only does this pose a risk of infecting other dogs, but exertion (especially breathing in cold air) can irritate the dog’s airways, making the cough worse. ^{[16] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

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Take cough medicine. Coughing is an important reflex to expel phlegm and clear the lungs. It’s not wise to stop coughing altogether, as that means mucus will build up in the lungs and make it harder for the dog to breathe. However, if your dog coughs so much at night that he can’t sleep, you can give him a cough suppressant. ^{[17] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

The right cough medicine for dogs is one spoonful of Robitussin DM Children’s Cough Syrup. Give your dog about 1 teaspoon of cough syrup for every 9 kg of weight. ^{[18] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}
Never give your dog other human cough and cold medicines without first talking to your veterinarian. Using the wrong dose or some of the active ingredients in a medication when ingested by a dog can cause serious health problems. ^{[19] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}
Ideally, you should only give your dog cough medicine once in a 24-hour period.

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Soothes irritation. If your dog’s throat is irritated, you can also give your dog a simple homemade solution to soothe the irritation. Give your dog a mixture of 1 tablespoon honey mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice mixed with warm water. ^{[20] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

This therapy can be used once every hour if needed. ^{[21] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}
Never give this mixture to dogs with diabetes, as honey will be harmful to dogs. ^{[22] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

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Boost your dog’s immune system. To help your dog fight infection, ask your veterinarian about giving your dog crushed vitamin C dissolved in water, berry bark, peppermint, raw honey or the herb yerba santa. ^{[23] X Source Blackwell’s Five-minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion. Tilley & Smith. Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell.}

These therapies have not been scientifically proven, but are widely believed to be effective.

Advice

Kennel cough appears within 2-10 days of exposure and usually lasts about 10 days if there are no complications, or 14-20 days if multiple pathogens are present.
Honey and lemon added to your dog’s regular food also work well.

Warning

Dogs rescued from captivity or living in an animal shelter are at high risk for kennel cough after being adopted.
Medicines intended for humans can cause serious and even fatal side effects in pets. Before giving your dog any medicine intended for humans, you should consult your veterinarian.
If you have a lot of dogs and one of them is sick, there’s a good chance that other dogs will also get sick. You should look out for the symptoms described above.
Dogs that have recovered from kennel cough usually are not infected anymore. Exposure and recovery is how vaccines work, so your dog will essentially fight off the disease. However, because there are many pathogens that cause kennel cough, there is nothing to prevent similar symptoms from occurring when a dog is infected with another pathogen.

Steps

Recognizing kennel cough

Treatment of dog kennel cough

Advice

Warning

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