What is Kennel Cough in Dogs? A Guide to KC
Kennel cough is an upper airway infection and is the most common cause for a dog developing a sudden onset cough. It can be bacterial or viral in origin.
What are the symptoms of Kennel Cough (KC) in dogs?
Owners often describe it as sounding like a “honking” or a “hacking” noise, as if the dog has something stuck in their throat, and sometimes the affected dog will bring up white frothy phlegm. Some dogs may develop a fever or runny eyes and noses too, although many dogs cope with it very well and do not seem to feel particularly poorly. The coughing tends to be worse at night and when the dog is excited or exerts themself.
How is Kennel Cough (KC) in dogs treated?
The treatment for kennel cough depends upon the severity of the illness and individual circumstances, for example, if the dog is already on treatment for another condition or has a weak immune system. Most cases are self-limiting and resolve without the need for medication, although it can take up to six weeks for the cough to disappear. If treatment is required, anti-inflammatories may be prescribed by your vet; antibiotics are only used in the most severely affected dogs.
How can you minimise the risk of Kennel Cough (KC) in dogs?
Vaccinations
The best way of minimising the risk and severity of the condition is through ensuring your dog gets his annual vaccinations every 12 months and on time. The kennel cough vaccination is on top of the main annual vaccinations and is squirted up the dogs nose. It isn’t 100% effective as there are different strains of the infection, but like our human “flu jabs”, it means that if your dog does acquire KC it should be of a milder form, and so the dog should not be as poorly.
It is worth mentioning here that any decent boarding kennels will insist on only accepting dogs who have had the kennel cough vaccine at least 21 days (and within the last 12 months) before being boarded. If you have plans to go away for Christmas or at half term and your dog is going into kennels or doggy day care, do make sure you get this box ticked in plenty of time.
Avoid mixing with other dogs
Kennel cough is also airborne and very contagious, so affected dogs should not mix with other dogs for at least two to three weeks from when they first start to show signs of the illness.
Home Remedies
There are a couple of things you can do at home to help alleviate the signs of kennel cough in your dog. Honey is wonderful for soothing sore throats as a result of the hacking cough, especially manuka honey which is full of energy and antioxidants. Half a tablespoon mixed in a small bowl of lukewarm water can be offered two to three times a day depending on how often your dog is coughing.
Asbrip
Asbrip is a complementary feed solution and contains Malic and Ascorbic acid ( Vitamin C) to help enhance the immune system, along with mint and eucalyptus to help sooth airways. The pack contains a syringe for easy dosing and 1ml per 5Kg body weight every 12 hours is the recommended dose rate. You can buy Asbrip online from UK Pets without a prescription
Steam Therapy
Steam is great for helping to break down the mucus in the airways. Simply shut your dog in the bathroom for 30 minutes as, or after, you take a bath or shower. Make sure there is a lovely big bowl of water for him, as he may get rather thirsty.
Rest
The poorly dog will need to “rest up”, just as we do if we have a bad cold or dose of the flu.
It should be stressed that if you suspect your dog is suffering from KC but does not seem to be improving after a few days, is breathless, off food, or appears generally unwell, it is always wise to get him examined by your vet, just to make sure there is nothing more serious going on.
Speak to a vet at PocketVet today for expert, tailored advice.
