Kennel Cough Treatment

Are kennel cough treatments worth the time? Will your dog or cat benefit from these? What should you look for to identify this sickness quickly....read on for more....

The vast majority of cases of kennel cough are not serious and usually run their course over two weeks.

As with any kind of respiratory disease younger and older dogs are more susceptible and may develop more serious complications if the condition is not treated properly.

Several viruses and bacteria can be the culprit in cases of kennel cough. We will address both the symptoms and kennel cough treatment in this article.

Here are some of the symptoms of kennel cough that you need to look for.

Many of these symptoms are similar to simple influenza that both dogs and cats can get that is similar to bird flu. Kennel cough is characterized by a hacking dry cough that almost sounds like whooping cough in humans.

Kennel Cough Treament needs to be fully understood when buying puppies or cats from mall pet stores...

This painful sounding coughing is sometimes followed by vomiting – both dry heaves and productive vomiting. In the mildest of cases some dogs will act, behave and eat normally throughout the course of the illness.

Please make sure that you take note of any changes in eating and drinking behaviors.

If you have not had your dog boarded, had your dog perform in a dog show or just got your dog from the pound, pet store or animal shelter the symptoms you are seeing may be a simple case of the flu.

These symptoms can be caused by several viruses (reovirus, canine adenovirus, canine herpes virus) and bacteria (Bordetella bronchisepta, parainfluenza and microsepta).

The disease is usually the result of more than one of these factors.

Many people are looking to avoid chemical means of treating themselves or their pets for kennel cough treatment.

The standard preventative treatment in the past has been an annual 5 way vaccine designed to immunize your pet against the factors above.

There are a number of holistic medicines that are made from natural ingredients that have no clinical testing to back up their claims. Anecdotal information leads one to believe that these treatments may help in some cases.

Standard kennel cough treatment for dogs that are alert, active and on their feed is to let the disease run its course.

If your dog exhibits changes in habits and eating disorders prednisone is often prescribed to reduce the inflammation and irritation caused by the coughing.

In more serious cases cough suppressants and bronchodilaters may be called for. If the disease moves into a more serious form of pneumonia an antibiotic treatment is in order.

RECOMMENDED READING

Why Dogs Eat Poop -- "In this article you'll find out why dogs eat poop. This behavior, known medically as coprophagia, can be frustrating. If you understand it, you'll have a better chance of fixing the problem. Twenty reasons why dogs eat poop are provided to you."

Canine Pregnancy Calendar -- "What is the purpose of a canine pregnancy calendar? What should the breeder be aware of when using this type of calendar? Why is it important to use one? Get the answers to these questions and more."

Pet Day Care -- "This article is all about pet day care. Why should owners consider this type of pet day care?"

DISCLAIMER

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your veterinarian or other health care professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment.