Home remedies for kennel cough?

[maxapple]

My little JR has developed it quite badly today. Ill take him to the vet on Tuesday as its closed until then, so has anyone got any suggestions on what to do in the meantime? I've tried a bit of child cough medicine but its not really doing much.

 

[Alec Swan]

In your shoes, I'd be 'phoning the out of hours emergency Vet, and asking them. With luck you'll get better advice than on here. Kennel Cough, so I'm told, is worse and more serious, than an irritant.

Alec.

 

[angrybird1]

Agree ring vet, in the meantime honey will soothe the throat and child Babylon may help.

 

[{97702}]

Mine had kennel cough a few years ago and I gave them honey to sooth their throats - please phone and speak to your vet before taking the dog down, with the greatest respect other dog owners will not thank you for taking a highly infectious dog down to a vets surgery. Of course your dog is entitled to be seen by the vet, but if you explain why you are taking him down the vets can arrange matters accordingly?

Incidentally I didnt bother taking any of my 4 to the vets, there is nothing the vets can do as it is a viral infection (like a human cold) so I didn't see any point

 

[Dry Rot]

Mine had kennel cough a few years ago and I gave them honey to sooth their throats - please phone and speak to your vet before taking the dog down, with the greatest respect other dog owners will not thank you for taking a highly infectious dog down to a vets surgery. Of course your dog is entitled to be seen by the vet, but if you explain why you are taking him down the vets can arrange matters accordingly?

Incidentally I didnt bother taking any of my 4 to the vets, there is nothing the vets can do as it is a viral infection (like a human cold) so I didn't see any point

This ^^^^^.

We used to just wait and it would go away. I think i probably sounds worse than it is. I can't recall losing any dogs to it. We never bothered with the vet as we knew what he would say!

 

[Clodagh]

Benylin helps. ABs will do nothing. Are you sure it is KC though, and not something stuck in there?

 

[twiggy2]

kennel cough itself is not a risk unless the dog has a heart condition or develops a secondary infection, antibiotics are often given so the owners feel something has been done but unless there is a secondary infection they do nothing for the actual KC, try smearing some honey on the bottom of a bowl so the dog has to lick it of and it should coat the throat and ease the coughing fora short while-obviously this is not a good idea if the dog has or is thought to be at risk from diabetes

 

[samlf]

I was advised by my vet that childrens cough medicine and honey are best.

 

[LessThanPerfect]

I hope you don't mind me pointing this out, although kennel cough Isn't a serious risk to dogs it is VERY serious if it passes over to any local cats especially in kittens where it can easily be fatal.
Many people aren't aware of this risk and don't know to take extra precautions to stop it spreading.

 

[mynutmeg]

It's a viral thing rather than a bacterial so unless there is a secondary bacterial infection, in which case they tend to be much sicker, there is little the vets can do. Generally a bit of tlc so keep them warm, offer soft, easy to eat/digest food such as rice, chicken, fish, eggs etc. Childrens cough medicine is what our vets have always recommended (make sure there is NO paracetamol in it tho as that is very posinous to dogs). It will generally settle down within a few days - a week so long as they don't develop secondary bacterial infections.

 

[maxapple]

Benylin helps. ABs will do nothing. Are you sure it is KC though, and not something stuck in there?

Thanks everyone - it wasn't kennel cough after all. His cough had totally gone the next day so I think he may have had something stuck or eaten a bee or something.