Needless to say, this is a highly contagious disease and you should be careful ofit should one of your pets develop it. It may pass from specie to the next andyou may find the disease hard to control.
If you observe your dog to bestruggling with its breath due to cough, the very first thing you should do isto assess the severity of the disease. Mild cases don't usually requireimmediate 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 itto the vet.
Minor kennel cough isnormally cured by Vitamin C. Stock on Vitamin C soft gel capsules at home anduse it as first aid for kennel cough. Just break one Vitamin C capsule and mixits contents to your pet's food. One capsule a day is sufficient.
If there are no Vitamin Ccapsules around, it is also possible to use a child's cough syrup. Base thedosage on the weight of your dog. Small dogs may be given a one year oldchild's dosage. However, note that this should only be done for first aidpurposes. Never put your dog on continued medication with a human cough syrupwithout the vet's orders.
More than cure, you shouldalso help prevent the worsening of your dog's case. It would be better if youkeep your dog away from allergens and anything that could accelerate coughing.Smoke, dust, and the cold weather are the biggest concerns of dogs that havekennel cough. Be sure that these factors won't affect your dog. Do what ittakes to free your house from pollutants and allergens as they could only makethe situation worse.
Also, try to minimize your dog?sdaily exercise routine for as long as it is infected with kennel cough. Yourdog's air passages get easily irritated and its defenses are not as strong atthe moment. Too much exercise may only slow down recovery. A regular walk ismore advisable over the usual running-up-the-slopes type of exercise that youdo with your pet.
If kennel cough is not dulytreated, it could lead to pneumonia or other much severe bronchial diseases. Asa pet owner, you have to constantly monitor your dog's health. Know when it istime 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 tosimply give it first aid.
Your dog's health is precious. You have to be very cautious of it as dogtreatments don't come cheap these days. It is always advisable that you work onimproving your dog's immune system one step at a time up until trivial diseaseslike kennel cough can't easily affect your pet.
