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Herbal and home remedies that may ease kennel cough
In my previous post I discussed kennel cough, the causes, and symptoms of the same. In this post, I will discuss herbal and home remedies that may ease your dog’s kennel cough symptoms, and when you need a vet instead.Kennel cough is just like the common cold in dogs. It can infect your dog if he/she comes in contact with any other dog. Kennel cough can infect your dog if your dog comes in direct contact with an infected dog-like touching noses, using contaminated surfaces like water, food or food bowl or even by touching noses or droplet. Kennel cough sounds like a dreadful disease. However, it is fairly treatable. Have a discussion with your veterinarian regarding the herbal remedies and your dog’s current condition before administering any of them to your dogs. If the condition persists, call your veterinarian immediately.🩺 Home Care Isn’t Enough: See a Vet If…
- Your dog is a young puppy, a senior, a flat-faced breed, or has heart or lung disease.
- The cough isn’t getting better after about 2 weeks, or it’s getting worse.
- Your dog has a fever, is tired or weak, or won’t eat.
- Breathing is fast or laboured, or the cough becomes wet or productive (these can be signs of pneumonia).
- There is thick yellow or green discharge from the nose or eyes.
Call ahead before you go, so the clinic can keep your coughing dog away from other patients.
How Long Does Kennel Cough Last, and Is It Contagious?
Kennel cough (canine infectious respiratory disease complex) can be caused by several germs, often more than one at once, including the bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine parainfluenza virus and canine adenovirus type 2. Most mild cases get better within 7 to 10 days with rest and supportive care, though a cough can linger a little longer.
It is highly contagious, and dogs can spread it before they start coughing. It passes through cough and sneeze droplets, nose-to-nose contact and shared bowls, toys and bedding. Keep your dog away from other dogs, daycare, boarding and dog parks until they have fully recovered, and ask your vet when it’s safe to mix again. There’s no evidence that it spreads to people.
1. Add probiotics to your dog’s diet:
Probiotics are not only good for your dog’s digestive and oral health, they can also help to prevent Kennel cough in your beloved pooch. Kennel cough has a tendency to progress to pneumonia. The good bacteria present in the probiotics compete with the bad bacteria for nutrients preventing the growth of the bad bacteria. Make sure that you only administer the probiotic supplements which are specifically made for dogs. In case your dog has been prescribed an antibiotic by the veterinarian, make sure that you wait for 2 hours before you administer the probiotic to your dog. Giving them a few hours apart, as your vet advises, helps the probiotic work.
2. Treat Kennel cough with coconut oil:-
I have written a previous blog post about the wonders of coconut oil for dogs. You can access it by clicking here. There’s no good evidence that coconut oil protects against Bordetella or the viruses behind kennel cough, but a small amount may tempt a congested dog to eat. Give your dog a small amount of coconut oil, only after checking with your vet. You can either add coconut oil to your dog’s diet or you can have your dog directly lick off from the spoons. Congestion causes a loss of appetite. A whiff of coconut oil will have your dog’s mouth watering again. You can also use coconut oil as a part of long term maintenance of your dog’s health.
3. Cinnamon can help:
Cinnamon is a great dietary supplement. Small amounts of cinnamon aren’t toxic to dogs, but there’s no good evidence that it treats kennel cough. If you’d like to try a pinch on your dog’s food, check with your vet first.
4. Raw honey:
Raw honey is an amazing remedy for sore throat. Raw honey also possesses antiviral, antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties. Provide 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of honey at least 3 times a day for a 30-50 lbs dog. You can adjust this amount as per your dog’s body weight. Or simply administer half teaspoon if your dog is small and one teaspoon if your dog belongs to a large breed.
5. Homeopathic remedies:
Drosera: Can be used in case your dog shows symptoms of dry hacking cough along with violent coughing spells.
Spongia Tosta: This is useful for barking, croupy coughs which mostly improves with drinking or eating warm food but tends to worsen on consumptions of cold food or beverage. Spongia is implicative of a cough starting in sleep.Rumex Crispus: This is helpful if your dog is suffering from a dry and persistent throat tickling.Other remedies which you can do in case your dog is suffering from Kennel cough:
Home Comfort Measures at a Glance
| Measure | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Rest and less exercise | Safe and helpful |
| Harness instead of a collar | Safe and helpful |
| Humidifier or a steamy bathroom | Safe; stay with your dog |
| Keeping smoke, dust and strong cleaners away | Safe and helpful |
| A little honey | Ask your vet first; avoid in young puppies and diabetic or overweight dogs |
| Probiotics made for dogs | Usually fine; ask your vet if your dog is on medication |
| Coconut oil, cinnamon, herbal or homeopathic products | Ask your vet; none of these replaces vet care |
| Garlic, onion, essential oils given by mouth, human cough medicines | Don’t give these |
6. Use a humidifier:
Place a humidifier near your dog’s resting area. The humidifier will moisten the air which your dog breathes, thus, reducing the irritation to your dog’s throat.7. Use the shower and administer steam therapy to your pooch:
When you take a warm shower, keep your pup in the bathroom with you. The warm air will provide steam therapy to your dog, clearing up the nostrils and throat.8. Grapefruit seed extract:
To stop the infection spreading to other pets in the house, wash your dog’s bowls, toys and bedding often and use a pet-safe disinfectant your vet recommends. Grapefruit seed extract isn’t a proven disinfectant, so don’t rely on it.9. Provide plenty of rest to your dog:
Rest is very crucial for your dog to recover from Kennel cough. Reduce your dog’s daily exercise duration. This helps with the recovery process and reduces the coughing episodes.10. Avoid the following:-
When your dog is recovering from Kennel cough, make sure to avoid any kind of irritants like cigarette smoke, dust or household cleaners. These items can cause irritation to your dog’s throat and delay the recovery process.11. During walks:
Make sure to use a harness instead of a collar for your dog. The harness will let you apply pressure on your dog’s chest which on the other side, a collar will put pressure on your dog’s throat which might worsen your dog’s condition.Conclusion:
Have you ever used herbal remedies for your pup? If you have, please share your experiences with everyone in the comment section below. If you have any stories you wish to share with the world, you can contact me on any of my social media channels.Frequently Asked Questions About Kennel Cough
Can kennel cough go away on its own?
Many mild cases get better within 7 to 10 days with rest. See your vet if the cough isn’t better in about 2 weeks, or if your dog has a fever, won’t eat or has trouble breathing.
How long is kennel cough contagious?
Dogs can spread it even before they start coughing, and for a while after. Keep your dog away from other dogs until they have fully recovered, and ask your vet when it’s safe to mix again.
Is honey safe for dogs with kennel cough?
A small amount of honey is often used to soothe the throat, but check with your vet first, especially for puppies and diabetic or overweight dogs.
How do I know if kennel cough is turning into pneumonia?
Warning signs include lethargy, not eating, fever, a wet or productive cough, and fast or laboured breathing. These need a vet the same day.
Can humans catch kennel cough from dogs?
There’s no evidence that kennel cough commonly spreads from dogs to people. If someone in your home has a weak immune system, ask their doctor.
Is there a vaccine for kennel cough?
Yes. Vaccines against Bordetella, parainfluenza and adenovirus are available. They don’t cover every cause and may not always prevent illness, but they usually make it milder. Ask your vet if your dog should have them.
