Treat Kennel Cough Naturally!
Currently practiced by over 250,000 doctors, vets, dentists, nurses, and practitioners worldwide, homeopathy is backed by scientific research demonstrating the efficacy of its potent remedies.
Horses, dogs, and cats have been shown to respond very well to homeopathic remedies, with tens of thousands of animals treated successfully.
Why Homeopathy for Pets?
Let’s take a brief look at what homeopathy is and why it’s so popular, before we look into homeopathy for Kennel Cough.
The Law of Similars is at the heart of homeopathy, the principle that “like cures like” is essential to homeopathy, in other words, substances that would induce symptoms in massive dosages when taken in great amounts promote healing when given in a diluted form.
As a result, this technique replicates the impact of a specific disease on the animal body, stimulating it’s inherent curative powers of resistance and recovery.
More recently, the practice has been adapted to help pets with a range of illnesses and disorders, including chronic conditions like digestive issues, skin irritation, arthritis, respiratory problems and Kennel Cough to name just a few.
The main benefits
- Works in conjunction with the body’s natural immune system
- Effective for both the prevention and treatment of conditions
- Can be used to treat a wide variety of conditions
- Fewer side effects compared to conventional medicines
The most common sign of Kennel Cough
Coughing is one of the most common signs of canine kennel cough, which is a catch-all phrase for any infectious or contagious illness in dogs that causes coughing as a major clinical symptom.
It’s also known as viral tracheobronchitis because to the infection’s presence in the windpipe (trachea) and bronchi that branch into the lungs.
Typically, the earliest sign of kennel cough will be a non-productive hacking cough, with no phlegm or mucus seen coming up from the dog’s airway.
This is because the respiratory system starts to mobilize after exposure to an infectious agent, but it has not yet started to produce the fluid that will coat the lining of respiratory passages and protect them from irritation.
“Several viruses and bacteria can cause kennel cough, often at the same time”.
Kennel cough can affect dogs of all ages. Young puppies are more susceptible because their immune systems have not fully developed to fight off infectious disease, while older dogs may have a deeper reservoir of immunity built up over the years to draw upon.
It is possible for dogs who have had kennel cough to be reinfected with an unrelated respiratory illness, but this is rare in most cases.
As the infection progresses, mucus begins to appear in the dog’s airway and they will begin coughing it up. This can be one of the more disturbing symptoms of kennel cough, because it’s accompanied by a sick smell and the dog’s respiratory distress.
The coughing is often worse at night or when the dog has been exercising strenuously; physical activity compromises the ability of the respiratory system to work efficiently and traps more air in the lungs.
It can be difficult to tell if a dog with kennel cough is breathing through their mouth or nose.
This is because dogs who are working hard to breathe against airway resistance will be forced to use the least efficient part of their respiratory tract, and that means it’s likely they’ll make more mouth movements when trying to get enough oxygen.
What Causes Kennel Cough?
Kennel cough is due to an infectious agent that causes inflammation of the respiratory tract lining. It can be spread through direct contact between dogs, or indirectly through contaminated surfaces like food bowls and water dishes.
A new type of virus has recently emerged (H3N2) which appears to make some breeds of dog, like the English springer spaniel, more susceptible to severe complications.
The incubation period for this type of coronavirus is only 24-72 hours prior to symptoms emerging; most dogs who are exposed will become ill within 3 days of exposure. However, before that happens there will be a brief “mucus stage” where the virus is actually replicating in the nasal and sinus passages of the respiratory tract.
Initially, the dog will sneeze out some mucus and this will start to be streaked with blood as time goes on (caused by damage to the fragile respiratory lining). During this time, they may show other signs like lethargy, loss of appetite and fever; once the coughing starts it will sound like a barking cough (the “canine” in kennel cough). Within 2-3 days the dog should start to feel better until the coughing resolves.
How Do Veterinarians Diagnose Kennel Cough?
Kennel cough is something that a veterinarian will diagnose by listening to the dog’s chest with a stethoscope, rather than through clinical signs.
You can tell if your dog has kennel cough from listening to them breathe, but it takes an experienced ear and usually there are other diseases that cause coughing which need to be ruled out first. Therefore, it’s good policy to work with a veterinarian who can take your dog’s history and perform the appropriate tests to narrow down the list of potential problems.
Kennel cough often goes undiagnosed, which makes it very difficult for veterinarians to treat because we don’t know what we’re dealing with. When kennel cough is diagnosed early and treated properly, the dog will usually recover quickly and show few if any, long-term complications.
Early diagnosis of kennel cough is important because some dogs are more susceptible to developing serious secondary complications.
For example, older dogs may have anatomical changes in their airways due to osteoarthritis which can make breathing very difficult when they try to bounce back from a severe respiratory infection.
Puppies and young dogs may also show signs of secondary pneumonia, which is not usually seen in older animals.
How Can I Treat My Dog's Kennel Cough?
Treatment for kennel cough really depends on the severity of the symptoms and whether or not your dog is coughing up blood or has developed any secondary complications.
If your dog can still eat and drink, then you’re looking at a mild case of kennel cough that will most likely resolve with supportive care consisting of antibiotics, decongestants and cough suppressants.
These are prescribed by the veterinarian depending on the severity of the disease, the individual dog’s condition and response to treatment.
Much like with people, antibiotics are usually prescribed alongside antihistamines (decongestants) in order to reduce mucous production; this helps stop further irritation of the respiratory tract lining.
Antibiotics are not always necessary for kennel cough, but they’re usually prescribed for 3-5 days in conjunction with the antihistamines.
Antibiotics are usually prescribed alongside cough suppressants; this is because antibiotics don’t actually stop coughing, they just reduce the bacterial load (the number of living bacteria) in the respiratory tract, which in turn reduces the severity of symptoms.
A cough suppressant like codeine will help reduce the severity or frequency of coughing so that your dog can rest and thus recover faster.
If your dog is still eating, drinking and pooping but has blood streaked mucous when it coughs; this means that there is active infection present in the respiratory tract which needs to be reduced.
For this reason, many veterinarians prescribe antibiotics to reduce the bacterial load and thus reduce the severity of symptoms. You can also expect an anti-inflammatory like prednisone to be prescribed, as well as a cough suppressant like codeine (or other strong opioid).
Best immune support for dogs
Do you know there are several fantastic homeopathic remedies for Kennel Cough? Your dog may not have been in a kennel, but he or she could have “Kennel Cough.” Look no further because we’ve got a natural product for your animal’s respiratory health. Best of all, it’s great for both cats and dogs!
Best Dog supplement for Kennel Cough
Homeopathic Kennel Cough Spray
This natural product supports breathing capacity by strengthening the immune system against bacterial infections and inflammation.
Its active ingredients help support your dog’s upper respiratory tract health.
- Upper respiratory tract support for dogs and cats that were kept in a confined space (eg. kennels and animal shelters)
- A gentle holistic approach
- No chemicals
- High-quality ingredients
WHO IS THIS NATURAL PRODUCT SUITABLE FOR?
- All animals needing more support for upper respiratory tract health.
- This natural product can be used for all animals (cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, etc.).
Reviews
Who are Homeoanimal Remedies?
Homeoanimal was formed by a group of animal lovers and pet advocates who wanted to provide patients with high-quality, natural medicines.
They observed that there was a lack of good information on homeopathic treatments, plus they also wanted consumers to have access to these high quality natural products at reasonable prices.
They are able to provide therapies for your pet for a range of physical, psychological, and emotional health issues, as well as being able to obtain suggestions from a homeopath that is also educated in Chinese medicine and reflexology.
All of Homeoanimal’s natural cures were created after years of study and development. The medicines are produced using natural components that have been proven to be effective, plus they fulfill or exceed all Good Manufacturing Practices requirements and there are no known side effects.
HomeoAnimal provides homeopathic drugs in their liquid form for faster absorption and a more successful result, as opposed to traditional sugar pellets, which are taken sublingually because the liquid is easier for the body to absorb, so the ingredients can start to work faster and more effectively.
To sum up
First, we would always recommend that you see your vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for your dog’s health condition.
Homeopathy has stood the test of time and is becoming increasingly relevant to our daily lives and those of our pets. It has been used for over 200 years to successfully treat a wide range of common conditions, with none of the potentially unpleasant side effects that come with modern drugs.
This natural treatment for Kennel Cough supports breathing capacity by strengthening the immune system against bacterial infections and inflammation, thereby aiding in your animal’s respiratory health.
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