What is Dog Kennel Cough And How To Help Your Pup?

Vets report that your canine will encounter kennel cough at least once in its lifespan. The risk increases for dogs that spend their time in crowded training classes, parks, shelters, and daycare facilities. But, what is dog kennel cough?

If this is your primary concern, you’ve landed on the right post. We’ve shed light on everything you would need to know about this common ailment. Scan through to increase your knowledge.

What is Kennel Cough?

Dog kennel cough results when Bordetella Bronchiseptica bacteria attacks your dog’s respiratory system. The invasion triggers irritation, inflammation, and the signature honking cough associated with this ailment.

Vets associate other types of kennel cough with canine adenovirus 2, canine parainfluenza, herpes, hepacivirus, pneumovirus, and distemper virus.

This dog cough is highly contagious. That’s why healthy dogs will easily acquire it by coming into contact with infected dogs, or sharing water bowls, toys, beddings, and kennels with the already sick canines.

How can you know your dog has Kennel Cough?

The most apparent sign of dog kennel cough is a hoarse dry or productive cough. Usually, this cough comes accompanied by reduced appetite, runny eyes and nose, sneezing, and reduced activity.

These signs are associated with other deadly conditions like collapsed trachea, heart disease, and cancer. Therefore, you shouldn’t assume that your canine has kennel cough without a vet’s confirmation.

That way, you won’t be treating dog kennel cough, and yet, your furry friend is suffering from a severe condition.

Treatment and management of dog kennel cough

Dog kennel cough can resolve without treatment as long as your dog’s immunity is strong enough. Nonetheless, vets recommend treatment to reduce the suffering associated with forceful coughing, sneezing, and reduced appetite.

Depending on the cause, your vet will prescribe the right antivirals, antibiotics, and cough suppressants to clear the infection. Healthy canines will get better within three weeks after treatment. Seniors and those living with diabetes, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and long-term conditions will take up to six weeks to heal.

Immune-boosting supplements for dog kennel cough

The duration of healing from kennel cough depends on your pup’s overall health. That’s why those with a strong immunity will heal faster, than those with a supposedly weak defense system.

Therefore, if you don’t wish to see your pup honking and sneezing for long, get any of the following immune boosters. They will help strengthen your dog’s immune system, and overall health.

1: Nutri-Vet Vite Chewable for Senior Dogs

=> Click here to check out Nutri-Vet Vite Chewable for Senior Dogs

This multivitamin supplement for senior dogs contains a vet-formulated mix of vitamin A, C, D, E, B1, B2, and B6. In addition, this supplement contains calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus.

With such a rich nutritional profile, your senior canine’s body will get the boost required to fight kennel cough without overworking. Besides boosting immunity, this supplement will support your dog’s mental, skeletal, and cardiac systems.

Available as liver-flavored chewables, your senior will enjoy them as treats rather than medicinal supplements. This means, you will not struggle to administer the daily dose. What’s more, a single pack contains 120 tablets, which are enough for a month!

2: ProSense Multivitamin for all Life Stages

=> Click here to check out ProSense Multivitamin for all Life Stages

Formulated by ProSense, a respected pet supplement manufacturer, this multivitamin will help your dog heal faster from kennel cough while establishing a solid immunity to fight future infections.

The immune booster contains a potent mix of vitamin A, D3, E, C, B12, B6, B1, B3, and B2. The mix will not only boost your pup’s immunity. But it will also support your dog’s general body health.

Administering this multi-vitamin is straightforward. You just conceal the chewable tablet in your dog’s food. Many dogs will take the supplement voluntarily, except for the few picky that might resist.

ProSense multivitamin isn’t just great for dogs battling kennel cough. You can give the multivitamin supplement to your growing puppies, nursing adults, and seniors. Regular intake will keep them in top shape.

3: Pet Naturals Daily Multi

=> Click here to check out Pet Naturals daily multi

Pet Naturals daily multi is another excellent immunity booster for dogs battling kennel cough. It has over 28 nutrients, formulated under the watch of seasoned vets. No wonder thousands of pet parents trust it that much.

It contains all vitamins, plus essential minerals like phosphorus, calcium, iodine, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, and magnesium. Literally, this multi formula has every nutrient required to help your dog fight infections.

Besides boosting immunity, Pet Naturals’ daily multi will nourish your canine’s cardiovascular, respiratory, skeletal, and mental systems as well. You can use it as a regular dietary supplement.

Unique from those multivitamin supplements with an unpleasant taste, Pet Naturals’ chewy tablets have a pleasant veggie flavor that pups enjoy. As such, this immune booster would be a great pick for picky dogs that won’t just take anything.

Since dogs are dear to us, Pet Naturals made this daily multi from pure ingredients. It is free of fillers, GMO, artificial fillers, and all other potentially harmful ingredients that could bring more harm. This supplement is NASC approved.

4: VetriScience Canine Plus Multivitamin

=> Click here to check out VetriScience Canine Plus Multivitamin

With 25 nutrients coupled with omega 3&6 fatty acids, the Canine Plus multivitamin is another great immune booster for canines battling dog kennel cough. It contains all vitamin groups, and the most important minerals like potassium, iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc.

These nutrients support your pooch’s organ function, immunity, and cardiovascular health. VetriScience multivitamin is free of harmful fillers and allergens. It will not hurt your dog’s overall health for the sake of boosting overall health.

Since your dog might not love the tablets’ unflavored taste, we suggest that you crash and mix them in your dog food. That way, your choosy pooch won’t have trouble taking their regular dose.

5: DOGSWELL Immunity & Defense Chicken Jerky

=> Click here to check out DOGSWELL Immunity & Defense Chicken Jerky

Suppose your furry friend isn’t much into multivitamins, don’t force them to consume. If you do, you could give them more stress, which isn’t a great for an already body. Instead, give them the DOGSWELL immunity and defense chicken jerky treats.

As their name suggests, these treats have that great taste of chicken. Even with a low appetite, your dog will hardly resist such a good-tasting jerky.

These treats aren’t just flavorful, but they contain enough levels of omega fatty acids, and vitamin A&E derived from flaxseed oil and turmeric. These nutrients will support your dog’s immune, cardiac, digestive, and mental systems. We bet, with such support, healing won’t be an issue.

Another great thing with this immune-boosting chicken jerky is that, it is free of artificial colors, flavors, corn, soy, wheat, and animal by-products. It will not harm your lovely furry friend in any way.

6: Super Snouts Immune Support Shrooms

=> Click here to check out Super Snouts Immune Support Shrooms

This immune support supplement contains potent levels of Beta-glucans, an immune-boosting, a bioactive compound derived from medicinal mushrooms. This compound is scientifically proven to adjust your canine’s immune system for optimum defense.

Besides boosting your dog’s body defense, the Super Snout immune support Shrooms will combat inflammation, neutralize toxins, and spark the production of protective enzymes. You can give it to healthy and sick dogs.

Like many great supplements on this list, Super Snouts Immune Support supplement is free of harmful fillers and additives. It comes as a powder with an earthy, pleasant flavor. Mix it in your dog’s regular diet, and your sick dog will love the meal.

7: Vetoquinol Triglyceride Supplement

=> Click here to check out Vetoquinol Triglyceride Supplement

Formulated from healthy triglycerides derived from wild fish, the Vetoquinol supplement won’t just boost your dog’s immunity. But, it will support every aspect of your dog’s well-being.

The Omega-3 fatty acids will reduce respiratory inflammation, as well as activate your pooch’s immune cells. That way, your sick dog’s body will combat the Bordetella bacteria within the shortest time possible.

As well, omega 3 fatty acids will support the dog cardiovascular, coat, respiratory, mental, and kidney health.

Vetoquinol’s triglyceride dog supplement is free of mercury, lead, and the toxic substances found in adulterated omega-3 supplements. The supplement’s NASC seal proves that it is indeed safe for your ailing furry friend.

8: Strawfield Pets 5-in-1 Dog Supplement

=> Click here to check out Strawfield Pets 5-in-1 Dog Supplement

This 5-in-1 dog supplement contains hemp, glucosamine, omega-3, vitamins, and probiotics. These dietary components will join forces to hone your doggie’s immune system, thereby reducing the healing time.

Besides immunity, this 5-in-1 dog supplement will support your dog’s coat, joint, heart, hip, and digestive health. You can use it to boost the overall health of your sick and healthy puppies, adult, senior, and nursing dogs.

Strawfield Pets dog supplement comes in the form of peanut butter flavored treats to enhance palatability. This makes it an ideal pick for choosy dogs that won’t take supplements easily.

With the peanut flavored taste, even low appetite won’t stop such dogs from eating this health booster.

9: K9 Medicinals Immunity Armor

=> Click here to check out K9 Medicinals Immunity Armor

Like its brand name proposes, K9 is an immunity armor approved by seasoned veterinarians. A single pack of this armor will spark up your dog’s supposedly weak defense system, thereby helping it clear the Bordetella bacterium in not time.

K9 Medicinals’ vets made it from a medicinal mushroom which is known to accelerate recovery from multiple ailments.

K9 understands that ailing dogs have a lower appetite. For that reason, they flavored the powder with beef to enhance palatability. Your canine will enjoy this science-based formula, just the way it would enjoy treats.

A single 10lbs-bottle will offer your pooch a 30 day supply, which is enough to re-energize it throughout the period it fights kennel cough. It is free of potentially harmful additives that could harm your furry friend.

10: Immune-Tree Bovine Colostrum

=> Click here to check out Immune-Tree Bovine Colostrum

The Immune-Tree bovine colostrum is packed with probiotics, vitamins, and minerals that support immunity. You can give it to your ailing or healthy puppies, senior canines, and adult dogs of all species.

The powdered colostrum doesn’t just support immunity, but it will also support organ function, fight allergies, and reduce cell oxidation. Actually, you can use it to complement your dog’s regular diet.

Flavored with natural beef and bacon, your ailing dog will not mind taking this supplement any time. It is tested organic and certified free of antibiotics, gluten, corn, growth hormones, and GMO.

Is Dog Kennel Cough Preventable?

There are two ways to prevent dog kennel cough—avoiding exposure and vaccination. Since none of the prevention measures is 100% effective, you would want to combine them for optimal prevention.

● Kennel cough vaccination

Several vaccines can prevent or minimize the chances of your dog getting kennel cough.  But, vets will usually recommend the Bordetella vaccine since it combats the common bacterial strain of kennel cough.

This vaccine is first administered when dogs are three weeks old. Afterwards, adult dogs will be receiving a booster shot once or twice each year. The frequency of vaccination depends on your adult dog’s frequency of exposure.

Apart from the Bordetella vaccine, you can vaccinate your dog against parainfluenza virus, canine distemper virus, and canine adenovirus. These vaccines are readily available in many vet clinics.

● Minimizing exposure

Vaccination alone will not offer complete protection against dog kennel cough. That’s why you will need to limit your dog from places or situations that are likely to increase its chances of acquiring the infection. Socializing your pup with friends and family that have healthy puppies is a better option.

You would want to avoid dog daycare, parks, crowded training facilities, and canine boarding. But, if avoiding such facilities isn’t possible, you can take your dog to well-managed facilities.  Grooming and regular cleanings for your dog can help too, as allergens found in dirt and grime can contribute to the spread of bacteria causing kennel cough.

If one of your dogs exhibits signs of kennel cough, isolate it from other healthy dogs until it gets better. That infected dog shouldn’t share toys, dishes, crates, beddings, and clothing with healthy ones.

Final Thoughts

Dog kennel cough is a common condition for dogs that spend some time in crowded kennels, dog parks, and canine daycares. Diseased dogs present with a harsh dry or productive cough, accompanied by sneezing, stuffy nose, fatigue, and reduced appetite.

Like any ailment, this cough can reduce your pup’s quality of life. So, do not ignore it, even if it isn’t dangerous. You can treat it with vet-prescribed antibiotics, coupled up with cough suppressants to ease the honking cough, and immune boosting supplements to accelerate healing.

It is our hope we answered your ‘What is dog kennel cough’ question!

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