KENNEL COUGH 2019 

Seasonal allergies, back to school sniffles, or is it kennel cough? How to recognize the signs and symptoms of canine infectious tracheobronchitis aka, kennel cough. 

If you live in the Cranberry, PA area, you may have seen or heard about a recent increase in reported cases of canine kennel cough and the precautions being implemented to reduce the spread of infection. Kennel cough is a highly transmittable upper respiratory infection that spreads easily in high traffic areas like dog parks, boarding and daycare facilities, and grooming salons. The infection can be contracted via airborne droplets, direct contact, or contaminated surfaces. Similar to the “common cold,” kennel cough is a relatively (albeit annoying) benign virus which most dogs are able to make a full recovery from without great medical intervention. Puppies, aged, and/or immune compromised pets are more at risk for developing secondary infection and should be monitored for persistent or intense symptoms which require veterinarian therapy. If your dog is a regular to the dog park or has spent time in a kennel or daycare, and you suspect exposure, it is best to first reduce the spread of the virus by keeping your pet at home during recovery. Kennel cough can be easily recognized by the telltale dry “honking” cough which may also be accompanied by sneezing, runny nose, and a light fever. Managing these symptoms at home can reduce duration and help keep your pet comfortable as they return to wellness. 

Healthy Pet Products would like to encourage pet parents to examine natural options for home care to help mitigate the severity of symptoms. We have a great selection of herbal and whole food supplements that will help calm a cough and support immune function. As pet parents ourselves, we understand the concern you feel when your pet is not feeling their best, but we also understand the importance of preventing medication mis or over-use. It is important to understand that data supports home care remedies over the use of traditional antibiotics (we have provided references and links below). We encourage you to contact your integrative veterinarian for a complete evaluation of your pet’s symptoms to best assess his or her individual needs should you be faced with conditions like kennel cough. 

If you are confident in your choice (and we hope you are) to address these symptoms with home care remedies, we are here to help guide you through many support options. Part of our mission in helping ALL pets thrive is to be here for them in every situation! Our medicine cabinet is stocked with herbal and whole food supplements, and our staff is always available to answer your questions to help YOU make the BEST decision for YOUR best friend!! 

Know the symptoms, know the remedies! 

Symptoms include: 

  • Dry hacking cough, carries a “honking” sound
  • Sneezing
  • Watery eyes
  • Low-grade fever
 

Home care remedies:

  • Keep your pet home from daycare, kennel, and grooming facilities- just like ourselves, if we are sick, we stay home!
  • The incubation period and risk of transmission can range from 2-14 days with full recovery averaging 3 weeks.
  • Raw or manuka honey: eases coughs, soothes throat irritation, and has antimicrobial properties.
  • Animal Essentials Breathe EZ: herbal remedy which supports healthy bronchial and airway passages.
  • Sovereign Silver: colloidal silver functions as a natural antimicrobial while supporting immune system function.
  • Probiotics, nearly 80% of our dog’s immune system strength is regulated by gut health!
  • Bone broth: warm bone broth is just like mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup for our soul! Bone broth will help provide your pet with critical hydration and easy to assimilate nutrients to help support recovery and soothe a sore throat.
  • We suggest that you discuss the costs vs. rewards of vaccinating your integrative veterinarian. Dogs are individuals and not every dog will respond to the vaccine the same way, adverse reactions need to be reported, and many vaccinated dogs still contract kennel cough.
 

To help you make the best possible decision for your pets, please reference the following links to our resources on the topic of kennel cough. As always, we look forward to serving you and your best friend to help him or her live their healthiest life! 

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2019/02/06/kennel-cough.aspx 

https://www.hemopet.org/kennel-cough-bordetella/ 

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/09/09/9-natural-remedies-for-kennel-cough.aspx 

https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/blog/kicking-kennel-cough/ 

http://www.dogs4dogs.com/cv