Kennel Cough Home Remedies | Kennel Cough Sound and Symptoms

Kennel cough home remedies, Kennel cough in pets is a disease and it's similar to a cold in humans but it mostly affects dogs at least a huge percentage of dogs get infected at least one time during their lifetime. When your pet or dog is making a noise like he is shocking something it may be the kennel cough or canine infectious tracheobronchitis Also known as bordetella.

It can be serious sometimes when the pet has other medical conditions or in small bobbies and old dogs but many dogs can recover without treatments just with some kennel cough home remedies that can help your pet to feel better faster.

What is kennel cough?

Kennel cough is the common name of a highly contagious respiratory infection that also know as "bordetella" or "canine infectious tracheobronchitis" and this is because the pathogen that causes this disease is a bacteria called "Bordetella bronchiseptica" usually combined with  a virus such as Canine Influenza Virus, Parainfluenza Virus, Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Reovirus, Canine Respiratory Coronavirus, and more. 

These pathogens move in the air after an infected dog sneezes or coughs or also through the food, water, or any other surface that got the pathogen then the dog inhales it to its respiratory tract and the pathogens start to destroy the mucus layer and especially bordetella can bind to cilia that move pathogens out and stop it from moving in few hours and start to invade the tract. 

Also, many factors can help the infection like 

• Being around other dogs who have kennel cough

• Being kept in crowded conditions 

• shipping stress 

• Heavy dust exposure 

• Cigarette smoke exposure 

• Cold temperature 

• Poor ventilation. 

Kennel cough sound and symptoms

Kennel cough sound is a forceful and persistent cough which sounds like goose honk or just like that  something is stuck in the dog's throat, Also some pets can show symptoms of illness like 

• Sneezing 

• A runny nose 

• Eye discharge

And Severe symptoms can include:

• Lethargy

• Loss of appetite

• Fever

• Labored breathing

Kennel cough home remedies can help to reduce the bad symptoms, Other thing you want to understand is that reverse sneezing is another symptom but for other issues not related to kennel cough.

Is kennel cough contagious to humans?

Kennel cough pathogen Bordetella bronchiseptica can cause infection in people although this is rare to happen but it's important for people with serious medical conditions, respiratory disease, pregnant women, small children, and old people or people with a weak immune system to be careful with sick pets and they should Wash hands regularly after handling any sick dog. Also, Don’t allow dogs to lick your face or hands.

Kennel cough in humans can cause many symptoms like:

• persistent cough.

• sore throat.

• difficulty swallowing.

• shortness of breath.

• fever.

How long does kennel cough last?

Kennel cough can last for 1 to 3 weeks depending on the pathogen, Is it the bacteria or virus or both agents, and which kind of viruses infected the pet. In some cases and if not treated well in serious conditions it can grow to pneumonia and cause more bad symptoms.

You should also know that the kennel cough incubation period is 2 to 14 days so watch your pet carefully during this period and isolate the pet if it was near another infected animal and keep an eye on it for 2 weeks.  

Kennel cough homemade remedy:

For mild cases, there are some kennel cough home remedies options but you should keep an eye on signs that the kennel cough is getting worse and kennel cough home remedies are not helping enough.

• Honey with warm water

Honey is great to be used as a method of kennel cough home remedies as it can help soothe your pet’s throat and minimize coughing. You can give your dog one-half tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of honey mixed with a little warm water. This can be offered up to three times a day according to how often your dog is coughing.

• Use a Humidifier

A small humidifier near your dog, while they are resting, will moisten the air that your dog breathes, and will help with irritation of the respiratory tract.

• Steam therapy during your shower 

Let your dog stay in a closed bathroom with you but not let it in the shower path, the hot steam will decrease irritation and help him to feel better.

• Let your dog getting a lot of rest 

Rest is very important as a factor of kennel cough home remedies, This can help reduce coughing so reduce the active periods of your dog.

• Avoid the factors that can make it worth

Make sure to avoid irritants such as cigarette smoke and dust and poor ventilation. These factors can cause more irritation and prolong the recovery. 

When you take your dog outside, use a harness instead of a collar. The harness will reduce pressure on their trachea but the collar will increase the cough.

• Add coconut oil to the dog’s food  

Two teaspoons of coconut oil every day is a nice step in kennel cough home remedies as it has antiviral properties and also increases the dog’s appetite.

• Nutrition and hydration

Nutrition and hydration are two important factors helping in kennel cough home remedies as they improve the immune system of the dog.

Kennel cough vaccines and treatment

The kennel cough vaccination stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies that can attack any pathogens so it is recommended if your puppy or dog will be close to other dogs. If your puppy will take part in shows, sports, or activities, it's important to vaccinate your dog so they can be protected in advance for about 12 months.

Injectable Vaccine:

The injectable vaccine is given under the skin to produce antibodies but in this method, antibodies move through the blood and this alert of the immune system make the pet ready to be more resistant to the infection and will just attack any pathogen when it enters the body, this method is applied with a needle and syringe.

Intranasal Vaccine:

This is a more specific method as it is applied to the respiratory system starting from the nose, This second type is called an intranasal vaccine. It is applied by dripping or squirting it into the nose. While this might seem like a cruel way to vaccinate your dog, it is very effective. Dogs get Kennel Cough by inhaling the bacteria/virus. This vaccine causes the production of antibodies in the respiratory tract, making the respiratory system ready to attack the pathogens before they enter the body.

Both vaccines are useful but The intranasal works faster, and you will not stick a needle into your dog. It makes sense to attack the pathogen as soon as it enters the body

Other kennel cough treatments in bad conditions can be antibiotics for bordetella and cough suppressant that will help the recovery and make it faster but you should ask your vet first.

Summary

Kennel cough home remedies are very useful and easy as it's made by natural products and simple ways found at home. Kennel cough home remedies can give your pet a faster recovery but you should be careful if the dog has any other medical conditions or is too young. You should be careful as kennel cough could be contagious to humans and other animals. You can vaccinate your bubbies or old dogs if they have a bad immune system or if they will be around other animals during the day.

 

By: Yaaqoub Mohamad