Learn All About Kennel Cough Symptoms

We explain kennel cough symptoms and kennel cough treatment. One way to cure these symptoms dog illness is by using kennel cough vaccine. Kennel cough is the term used for viral and bacterial infections that causes inflammation of a dog’s voice box and windpipe. It is a form of bronchitis and the kennel cough symptoms are similar to a chest cold in humans.

This is highly contagious to other dogs so that is why most kennels require that your dog have been given a proper vaccine before they will allow the boarding of your canine. If your dog is making a “honking” sound when coughing, then they most likely have this condition and need some kind of kennel cough treatment.

Most of the time the symptoms for this condition is just the coughing, so they will appear healthy even if affected. Your dog’s appetite and energy should not change, but a fever is one of the symptoms dog illness or nasal discharge. If you find your canine has these symptoms then isolate them until you can get them some proper treatment.

Dogs can catch this type of cough via germs on contaminated objects, aerosals in the air, or from direct contact with another dog. An enclosed area with poor air circulation like boarding kennels, dog clinics or grooming facilities are places where this condition gets spread. A shared water bowl is another place they can attract it from. The kennel cough vaccine to prevent this type of cough is often referred to as bordetella, which is one of the active agents of this condition, parainfluenza being another.

Normally their cough will start to get better after one week, and gradually decrease until it is gone after three weeks. Young puppies and older dogs however, might take six weeks to completely recover. Just make sure that if you are seeing nasal discharge or heavy breathing after one week, take them to the vet because serious cases of this condition can lead to pneumonia if not treated.

The first part of treating this is to take your canine to their vet. Your vet might take the no drug approach to see if it subsides. He will recommend some of the following tips:

– Have a humidifier or vaporizer where they sleep or even bring them into the bathroom when you shower because the steam will soothe their nasal passages.

– Isolate them from other dogs as this condition is highly contagious to other dogs.

– Another treatment is if your dog tug on their collar when going for a walk, replace their collar with a harness until the kennel cough has gone away.

– Do not expose them to obnoxious fumes.

– Keep them comfortable and make sure they are eating and sleeping.