# kennel cough



## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

Several dogs in my area have come down with kennel cough. I've done some looking online for home remedies but wanted to ask here. Sadly it seems this is the kind of thing that has to just run it's course. Antibiotics can be helpful in more serious cases but do not relieve symptoms quickly. Princess has been coughing and choking on and off all night. She is spitting up small amounts of yellowish vomit. I realize this may take awhile to get better but is there some sort of home remedy that will provide her with some relief? I'm off to the store for some honey as I've heard that can provide some relief.
Thanks,
Jcris


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

jcris said:


> Several dogs in my area have come down with kennel cough. I've done some looking online for home remedies but wanted to ask here. Sadly it seems this is the kind of thing that has to just run it's course. Antibiotics can be helpful in more serious cases but do not relieve symptoms quickly. Princess has been coughing and choking on and off all night. She is spitting up small amounts of yellowish vomit. I realize this may take awhile to get better but is there some sort of home remedy that will provide her with some relief? I'm off to the store for some honey as I've heard that can provide some relief.
> Thanks,
> Jcris



Poor Princess. :-( I don't know about any home remedies, but I had a dog before that had kennel cough, and he was put on antibiotics. He had one more episode after that, and then everything seem to clear up. Can you call your vet and just ask questions on getting Princess on antibiotics. Or would she have to be seen first. Personally, I recommend getting to a vet with her. That way the vet can determine the best course of action.


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## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

That is probably what I'll do Kathy,
I only hesitate because I don't like putting the girls on antibiotics unnecessarily. It seems some vets do that a bit to automatically. I will keep a close watch on her and Belle. Belle has shown no symptoms yet and she tends to be the more susceptible of the two.
Thanks,
Jcris


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

I'm inclined to avoid antibiotics, for me and for Tonka. 'Specially when Bordatella is simply a Dog Cold. 

Chicken soup and mothering would be my remedy. Maybe a bit of cough syrup for that hacking cough.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

jcris said:


> That is probably what I'll do Kathy,
> I only hesitate because I don't like putting the girls on antibiotics unnecessarily. It seems some vets do that a bit to automatically. I will keep a close watch on her and Belle. Belle has shown no symptoms yet and she tends to be the more susceptible of the two.
> Thanks,
> Jcris



Maybe just ask the vet questions, to what he would remmend? I know with my vet, I don't always have to bring my dog/cat in to be seen, just to get some advice. Of course my vet doesn't return phone calls until after the vet office closes, but it has saved me from having to bring them in. Anyway, good luck with Princess. I hope she feels better soon.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Kennel cough is miserable for a dog. All of my shelter rescues including Zooey have come to me with it. I have always put them on antibiotics, and they start feeling better quickly. I would never let it go untreated.


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## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

I hope Princess will feel better soon. I know that honey helps with coughing for myself and the kids so I like honey as a treatment (unless honey is not something a dog should have...)

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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

TrixieTreasure said:


> Poor Princess. :-( I don't know about any home remedies, but I had a dog before that had kennel cough, and he was put on antibiotics. He had one more episode after that, and then everything seem to clear up. Can you call your vet and just ask questions on getting Princess on antibiotics. Or would she have to be seen first. Personally, I recommend getting to a vet with her. That way the vet can determine the best course of action.



Call the vet, or take the dog to the Vet, what brilliant advice!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Countryboy said:


> I'm inclined to avoid antibiotics, for me and for Tonka. 'Specially when Bordatella is simply a Dog Cold.
> 
> 
> 
> Chicken soup and mothering would be my remedy. Maybe a bit of cough syrup for that hacking cough.



Exactly, it is a virus, antibiotics don't do a thing for a virus - no reason to even take the dog to the Vet unless you suspect that pneumonia has developed.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Call the vet, or take the dog to the Vet, what brilliant advice!



Thank you. Not brilliant advice by any means, but I always believe that it's best to take the dog to the vet, or at least call for advice and see if there is something over the counter that he would recommend. I've been going to my vet for 40 years, and I put my complete trust in him. There's been many times when I just called for advice and I received it over the phone.


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## King Louie (May 27, 2016)

Actually a tablespoon of honey twice a day and sprinkle cinnamon in her food and it will clear up within days. I had a 2 dogs get it tried this and within days the coughing completely stopped.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

zooeysmom said:


> Kennel cough is miserable for a dog. All of my shelter rescues including Zooey have come to me with it. I have always put them on antibiotics, and they start feeling better quickly. I would never let it go untreated.



That's what I believe also. Trying home remedies is fine, but antibiotics takes hold of it immediately. We always want our pets to feel better quickly.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Honey can be given, but it makes Maizie throw up.


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## King Louie (May 27, 2016)

TrixieTreasure said:


> zooeysmom said:
> 
> 
> > Kennel cough is miserable for a dog. All of my shelter rescues including Zooey have come to me with it. I have always put them on antibiotics, and they start feeling better quickly. I would never let it go untreated.
> ...


True but with the medicine for kennel cough takes a week to 2 weeks to completely cure the dog. The cinnamon and honey work very quickly coughing stops immediately but I do it for almost a week just to be sure it's completely out of there systems. The female came into heat 2 weeks later and I bred her and had 11 healthy puppies no way I could've bred her if she was still on antibiotics or just coming off. The less chemicals you use in a dog the better in my opinion.


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## King Louie (May 27, 2016)

zooeysmom said:


> Honey can be given, but it makes Maizie throw up.


Had that happened my male hated Honey and would try everything to get it out of his mouth and system. I took his favorite treat which is chicken jerky and covered it he didn't like the honey but there was no way he wasn't gonna eat his jerky. The cinnamon I didn't measure I just poured some in the food and mixed it until it looked evenly spread throughout.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

King Louie said:


> Had that happened my male hated Honey and would try everything to get it out of his mouth and system. I took his favorite treat which is chicken jerky and covered it he didn't like the honey but there was no way he wasn't gonna eat his jerky. The cinnamon I didn't measure I just poured some in the food and mixed it until it looked evenly spread throughout.


Oh, Maizie likes honey, it just makes her sick.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

I was just thinking now about chicken soup, and honey, and cinnamon, and anything else that's good for sick dogs. Touch wood, I've not encountered Bordatella here at home. If I did, I might brew up some chicken broth/backs, add whatever good things, then freeze it up into treat-sized dogsicles. Soothing for their throats too maybe.

Antibiotics or no, you could fluff up her pillows, slide a plate of dogsicles where she can reach it from her bed... and tiptoe around the house to let her sleep. :nurse:


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## someday (May 3, 2016)

zooeysmom said:


> Oh, Maizie likes honey, it just makes her sick.



This might be a long shot, but was it raw/local honey by chance? 

I think raw honey and cheapo supermarket honey are different partially in that the cheap honey is heated (edit: I said boiled earlier but that might not be right) and the raw honey is not. Raw vs cooked. Leaving honey untreated appeals to people who like the idea of their food being as unprocessed as possible, but also opens its consumers up to possible reactions because some organic matter within the honey hasn't been neutralized by heat. This is why, I've been told, you can't give infants honey. 

You can google "raw honey stomach ache" or the like and you can see that many people have unpleasant experiences with raw and/or local honey.

If not, Maizie could just be allergic to some component of any sort of honey.


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## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

I like your idea King Louie,
I did buy some raw unfiltered honey for her this morning. I tried to let her lick it off a spoon but she wouldn't take it. So I put a bit on her nose and she licked it off from there. Sneaky I know and she didn't get much. I also tried a home brew cough medicine made of concentrated lemonade, honey and warm water. I had to use a syringe to get it down her throat. She didn't protest much. Not sure if any of that has helped. Her appetite seems normal and she is drinking water. I think I'm going to try cinnamon sprinkled on her food. And maybe even some vitamin C. 
The VET wasn't very helpful at all. They were to busy to see her at all today:argh:
Going forward I'm thinking I need to add some probiotics to their diet.
Thanks for the help everyone,
Jcris
Her coughing has gotten a bit worse, not much though. I cringe when she does it. She still vomits when she coughs. Not everytime but I've had to relegate her to the back porch so she doesn't continue ralphing on the carpet. Poor baby.
I'm going to continue with the cough medicine and also get her some chicken soup and begin the vitamin C at 1000 mg's per day. If she doesn't show improvement by early next week I'll get her to the VET


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

When a dog of mine had kennel cough, many years ago, the vet had us give her robitussin cough syrup for the cough. It allowed her a rest from the cough and helped loosen up the stuff she was coughing up. He did not put her on antibiotics as he said it was a virus and would reserve the antibiotics in the event that it developed further, into pneumonia. She was better in a couple of days.

Poor little kiddo. It always sounds like they are hacking up a lung to me.

Hipe she is better soon.

Cathy & Poppy


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## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

Viking Queen,
Yes, Robitussen has been mentioned as a good remedy for her cough.
It should help her sleep ( and me) too.
I'll try it.
"hacking up a lung" now that made me laugh.
My best to you,
Jcris


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Exactly, it is a virus, antibiotics don't do a thing for a virus - no reason to even take the dog to the Vet unless you suspect that pneumonia has developed.



*Bordatella is not a virus*. It is a bacterium (the species in dogs is _B. bronchiseptica _and it is closely related to _B. pertussis_ the organism that causes whooping cough in humans) and can and should be treated with antibiotics. It is highly contagious among dogs, so don't be surprised if your other girl starts hacking too. Lily got _Bordatella_ at a show and by the time I took her to the vet, he told me to expect Peeves to be sick within 18-36 hours and he was. I just called the vet and got his script since we knew exactly what was wrong with him. To relieve the hacking you can use mucinex DM.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

someday said:


> This might be a long shot, but was it raw/local honey by chance?
> If not, Maizie could just be allergic to some component of any sort of honey.


It was the honey that comes with my Fage yogurt. She just has a VERY delicate digestive tract.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

lily cd re said:


> *Bordatella is not a virus*. It is a bacterium (the species in dogs is _B. bronchiseptica _and it is closely related to _B. pertussis_ the organism that causes whooping cough in humans) and can and should be treated with antibiotics. It is highly contagious among dogs, so don't be surprised if you r other girl starts hacking too. Lily got _Bordatella_ at a show and by the time I took her to the vet, he told me to expect Peeves to be sick within 18-36 hours and he was. I just called the vet and got his script since we knew exactly what was wrong with him. To relieve the hacking you can use mucinex DM.


Thank you for correcting the previous misinformation. And, even if a dog or a human can recover from a bacterial infection w/o antibiotics, the illness will last longer and be a lot more unpleasant (not to mention risky), right? I recently tried to tough out my first sinus infection. I was sick for a month vs. a week when I go on antibiotics. Not worth it!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

zooeysmom said:


> Thank you for correcting the previous misinformation. *And, even if a dog or a human can recover from a bacterial infection w/o antibiotics, the illness will last longer and be a lot more unpleasant (not to mention risky), right?* I recently tried to tough out my first sinus infection. I was sick for a month vs. a week when I go on antibiotics. Not worth it!


Yes and the likelihood of permanent structural damage to the respiratory tract increases. I am a member of an organization called the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics and spurn their inappropriate uses as a form of drug abuse that has potentially huge public health consequences, but when they are needed they are needed. The OP needs to take his dog to the vet.


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## WinnieJane (May 6, 2016)

Our pup had a cough the first week we got her - it was mild, but scary as she was only 8 weeks old. The vet said it could be viral or bacterial. Either way, he said, it normally clears up on its own so he usually recommends a wait-and-see approach for a few days. BUT with very young and very old dogs he starts them on antibiotics immediately because of the risk of worse developing. It was the end of the day and they didn't have any antibiotics on hand, so we agreed to wait until the next morning as it didn't seem urgent in her case. She was so much better the following day that we skipped the antibiotics. I was relieved -- I am very leery of early use of antibiotics unless there is confirmed, serious need because of the harm it can do the microbiome. (I have two kids with food allergies and there is emerging evidence of a link.) That said, if her cough had worsened, I wouldn't have hesitated to use them.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

WinnieJane the emerging understanding of the importance of diversity in the gut microbiome and its role in immunological health, mental health, allergies, obesity... is so fascinating. I have new stuff to teach every semester between that and Zika virus.

One can do some good in countering the microbiome diversity reducing effects of antibiotics by giving multiple organism containing yogurt while on the drugs when they are needed.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

I believe in home remedies to a point, wait and see to a point, prudent use of antibiotics absolutely. When they are needed as Lily CD Ph.D. says, they are needed.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I hope your puppy feels better soon - and I would also contact your vet's office for advice on what is effective and the correct dose.

I would never give a dog cinnamon - it is an irritant. Yes, it tastes delicious as a spice in food, but it can be very irritating in some people and maybe in dogs too?

I also wouldn't give lemon - if their throat is irritated from coughing. You wouldn't put lemon juice on a new skin cut because it will burn from the acid.

But I found this on Mayoclinic about honey in infants. 



> Drinking tea or warm lemon water mixed with honey is a time-honored way to soothe a sore throat. But honey alone may be an effective cough suppressant, too.
> 
> In one study, children age 2 and older with upper respiratory tract infections were given up to 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of honey at bedtime. The honey seemed to reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep.
> 
> ...


 Honey: An effective cough remedy? - Mayo Clinic


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## FireStorm (Nov 9, 2013)

When Hans started with a cough on a Friday evening after the vet was closed, I gave him manuka honey and made him bone broth. By Monday when the vet was open he wasn't coughing and seemed totally fine and she didn't give him any meds. I would've taken him to the emergency vet but he was still eating and drinking and he didn't have a fever so I didn't think it was necessary. Of course, I don't know if he had kennel cough or something else, and I don't know if it was the honey and broth that cured him or if he would've gotten better anyway.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

jcris, how are your girls doing?


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## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

Hello Lilly,
Amazingly Princess seems to be getting better and Belle hasn't shown any symptoms. I've been using a syringe to squirt a home brew cough syrup down poor Princess's throat. It's a mixture of raw honey, lemon juice concentrate and water. I give her some when she starts coughing. I've also been giving them chicken noodle soup, warmed slightly. And I've added some vitamin C to her diet. I just crushed the pill and added it to her evening meal. It's only been a few days and she's not coughing as much. I've also limited their exercise as that seems to make her cough worse. No dog park activity for at least a few more days, maybe even a week. I've been taking them to a spot where there are no other dogs. I was a bit peeved when the VET couldn't/wouldn't see her last Friday. Turns out that saved me some cash. She is not completely well yet but is definitely on the mend. It surprises me Belle hasn't gotten it, it's supposedly very contagious.
Thanks so very much for asking,
Jcris


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## Sammy the spoo (Jul 7, 2016)

jcris said:


> Hello Lilly,
> Amazingly Princess seems to be getting better and Belle hasn't shown any symptoms. I've been using a syringe to squirt a home brew cough syrup down poor Princess's throat. It's a mixture of raw honey, lemon juice concentrate and water. I give her some when she starts coughing. I've also been giving them chicken noodle soup, warmed slightly. And I've added some vitamin C to her diet. I just crushed the pill and added it to her evening meal. It's only been a few days and she's not coughing as much. I've also limited their exercise as that seems to make her cough worse. No dog park activity for at least a few more days, maybe even a week. I've been taking them to a spot where there are no other dogs. I was a bit peeved when the VET couldn't/wouldn't see her last Friday. Turns out that saved me some cash. She is not completely well yet but is definitely on the mend. It surprises me Belle hasn't gotten it, it's supposedly very contagious.
> Thanks so very much for asking,
> Jcris


I'm glad to hear that Princess is doing better!!! It must be your TLC doing the tricks!! The girls are lucky to have you!!

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