Home Remedies for Kennel Cough?

[Chiefsmom]

One "easing" technique my vet advised when my dogs had kennel cough was to put a little peanut butter and a little honey on a spoon and let them lick it off (honey is a soother; PB just makes it taste better). It's not a cure... but it soothed the cough for my babies.

 

[Barron's mom]

Great idea, Chiefsmom!

 

[Labrecski]

Lola just returned from the vet, she also has kennel cough. From reading on the web, i came to the conclusion that it would most likely run its course, but she is my first boxer (1st dog for that matter) so i wanted to make sure it wasnt something else. The vet said the same thing you are all saying that its a virus which the dogs body will most likely irradicate themselves but she gave us some doxycycline just as a broad antibiotic just to help with any bacteria or anything that may be present. At first i thought there may have been a piece of fluff from one of her recently destroyed toys in her throat, the way she was hacking/dry heaving but i looked up kennel cough on youtube and her symptoms were consistent. I know she will be fine but i know how miserable i get when ive got an itchy irritable throat. Is the peanut butter and honey really a good idea to help out?

 

[BxrMommieNAZ]

Personally we had no luck with honey. I did give Hydrocodone (RX) syrup once it became a dry cough and that was FANTASTIC.

Just my personal opinion, I wouldn't give the antibiotic unless it is truly needed.

 

[bree]

I am kind of annoyed that I didn't read this sooner...

I took my big guy and my new guy in on Saturday because I suspected kennel cough (we recently adopted the new dog who appears to have brought it home) and she instantly gave the one who was a tad bit worse antibiotics. She agreed with me that it appeared to be kennel cough, and yet still gave him antibiotics? For a virus? Especially to give it to one and not the other is kind of strange. Sometimes I feel like vets just want money... I would never say that about my usual vet, but since I needed a Saturday appointment I got who I got. I would'nt have started my dog on antibiotics if I knew he didn't need them... Oh well.

BxrMommie, is it really okay to give your dogs Vicodin? I never knew that.

 

[BxrMommieNAZ]

I am kind of annoyed that I didn't read this sooner...

I took my big guy and my new guy in on Saturday because I suspected kennel cough (we recently adopted the new dog who appears to have brought it home) and she instantly gave the one who was a tad bit worse antibiotics. She agreed with me that it appeared to be kennel cough, and yet still gave him antibiotics? For a virus? Especially to give it to one and not the other is kind of strange. Sometimes I feel like vets just want money... I would never say that about my usual vet, but since I needed a Saturday appointment I got who I got. I would'nt have started my dog on antibiotics if I knew he didn't need them... Oh well.

BxrMommie, is it really okay to give your dogs Vicodin? I never knew that.

No. I never said that. Not sure where you read that. If you're referring to the Hydrocodone, Hydrocodone by itself is not Vicodin, Hydrocodone mixed with Acetaminophen is Vicodin and Acetaminophen can kill dogs, so no I wouldn't think giving a dog Vicodin would be a great idea. Hydrocodone SYRUP is used to treat the cough of kennel cough frequently in dogs yes, Vicodin, no.