Home Treatment for Kennel Cough in Dogs

Home treatment for kennel cough in dogs can be used to deal with mild cases of kennel cough. This page looks at some simple and effective kennel cough treatment that can be given at home.

Most cases of kennel cough are rather mild and we can just let it run its course.

If, however, your dog's coughing is accompanied by other more serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, lethargy, fever, and so on, you should take him to the vet for treatment.

If your dog is suffering from a mild case of kennel cough and he is active and alert, you may want to consider using some of the following home treatment for kennel cough to help relieve the discomfort caused by the dry hacking cough that is typical of kennel cough.

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Home Treatment for Kennel Cough - OTC Cough Suppressants

Cough suppressants are usually not recommended for coughs such as kennel cough, because they will delay the overall healing of the disease. However, if your dog is having dry, hacking coughs at night which are making it difficult for everyone to rest, limited use for a short period of time can help relieve the discomfort.

Cough medicines that contain the cough suppressant dextromethorphan such as Robitussin-DM and Benylin Expectorant are available over the counter. Recommended dosage is one teaspoon per 20 pounds of body weight every 6 hours.

Home Treatment for Kennel Cough - A Natural Product

If you prefer to go natural, here is an excellent product that can be used for mild cases of kennel cough in dogs:

PetAlive KC-Defense for Pet's Kennel Cough and Respiratory Infections

This all-natural product contains herbs such as Plaintain (effective in treating and controlling dry coughs), and Echinacea (effective in supporting and boosting the immune system). In addition, the product contains various homeopathic remedies which are effective in managing and controlling symptoms of kennel cough.

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Home Treatment for Kennel Cough - Simple Home Remedies

Here are some home remedies that you may want to try if your dog has mild kennel cough:

Hydrogen Peroxide and Honey: There are quite a few anecdotal reports that claim that hydrogen peroxide and honey can help ease the dry, hacking coughing caused by kennel cough. Add 3 drops of hydrogen peroxide (food grade) to a teaspoon of honey mixed into a large glass of water. Let your dog drink up the water as soon as possible. Hydrogen peroxide loses its potency after a few hours in water, so you need to give your dog a fresh new bowl of honey water with hydrogen peroxide every few hours.
Raw Honey: If you have raw honey or Manuka honey (from New Zealand), try adding one teaspoon or so to a warm cup of water and give it to your dog. Honey can soothe the throat and is antibacterial as well. If your dog refuses to drink it, use a medicine dropper and administer a few drops of the solution directly into his mouth every hour or so.
Vitamin C / Echinacea: Vitamin C boosts your dog's immune system so he can recover faster from diseases. Try giving your dog a daily dose of vitamin C. Dosage is 500 mg for bigger dogs and 250 mg for smaller dogs. An herbal tincture of echinacea can also be used to boost immunity.
Moisture / Essential Oils: If your dog has a dry cough, put a humidifier or vaporizer near his bed. This will help fill his airways with soothing moisture. If you have essential oils, adding a few drops to the vaporizer can help ease the cough as well. Essential oils that can help dogs with kennel cough include lavender, eucalytus, and tea tree since they all have antibacterial and antiviral properties.

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Home Treatment for Kennel Cough - Prevention

The best way to prevent kennel cough is to strengthen your dog's immune system.

Add a multiple vitamin supplement to your dog's diet. In particular, vitamins C and E are essential for boosting the immune system. The herb echinacea is also well-known for its power in immune boosting.

Here is a natural herbal formula for your dog's immune system:

Only Natural Pet Echinacea Herbal Formula

This natural herbal product contains the herb Echinacea (immune-boosting), and rosehips (vitamin C rich), and is extremely effective in boosting the immune system so that the body can become strong enough to fight off infectious diseases such as kennel cough.