Kennel cough is one of the most common diseases dogs may acquire. It is very similar to human cough, wherein the condition could be at its worst during the night time. Kennel cough is acquired with contact to dogs having the same problem.
Needless to say, this is a highly contagious disease and you should be careful of it should one of your pets develop it. It may pass from specie to the next and you may find the disease hard to control.
If you observe your dog to be struggling with its breath due to cough, the very first thing you should do is to assess the severity of the disease. Mild cases don’t usually require immediate attention but you have to observe the progress of the disease accordingly. Once you feel that your dog’s condition is getting worse, it is time to take it to the vet.
Minor kennel cough is normally cured by Vitamin C. Stock on Vitamin C soft gel capsules at home and use it as first aid for kennel cough. Just break one Vitamin C capsule and mix its contents to your pet’s food. One capsule a day is sufficient.
If there are no Vitamin C capsules around, it is also possible to use a child’s cough syrup. Base the dosage on the weight of your dog. Small dogs may be given a one year old child’s dosage. However, note that this should only be done for first aid purposes. Never put your dog on continued medication with a human cough syrup without the vet’s orders.
More than cure, you should also help prevent the worsening of your dog’s case. It would be better if you keep your dog away from allergens and anything that could accelerate coughing. Smoke, dust, and the cold weather are the biggest concerns of dogs that have kennel cough. Be sure that these factors won’t affect your dog. Do what it takes to free your house from pollutants and allergens as they could only make the situation worse.
Also, try to minimize your dog’s daily exercise routine for as long as it is infected with kennel cough. Your dog’s air passages get easily irritated and its defenses are not as strong at the moment. Too much exercise may only slow down recovery. A regular walk is more advisable over the usual running-up-the-slopes type of exercise that you do with your pet.
If kennel cough is not duly treated, it could lead to pneumonia or other much severe bronchial diseases. As a pet owner, you have to constantly monitor your dog’s health. Know when it is time to give medicine and when to let its body fight off the disease naturally. You should also rightly decide when you have to take your pet to the vet or to simply give it first aid.
Your dog’s health is precious. You have to be very cautious of it as dog treatments don’t come cheap these days. It is always advisable that you work on improving your dog’s immune system one step at a time up until trivial diseases like kennel cough can’t easily affect your pet.
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