# Suspected kennel cough



## Monkeymands1977 (Apr 15, 2014)

Hi all

I haven't been on for a while Fin has been doing really well up until this week and I think he has kennel cough - annoyingly he has had the vaccination though!! He's what sounds like coughing, and snorting, he was sick the other night in his crate, and last night I could hear him whistling in his sleep..... He has almost what sounds and looks like hacked something up, but not seen anything to know if its a colour or anything at all! 

I've googled and been told about honey, and also Benylin. Do you suggest bothering with either of these, or just go straight to the vets?

He's eating, energetic and his normal self. He's 5 months old now, so also his teeth are hurting!

Thanks
Amanda


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## aliciavp (Mar 14, 2014)

Hey there! Little Lazlo got kennel cough at 4 months, after being vaccinated. Initially we thought he'd scratched his throat but it got worse, and we quickly knew what it was. We actually youtube'd "vizsla's with kennel cough" and it came up with a video of two of them, coughing and hacking just like little Laz. 

Laz initially lost interest in food, became lethargic etc, but that quickly improved and his cough got worse. He sounded like a duck quacking - you could hear it from a mile away. Shortly after he would hack up phlegm/bile and if he hacked up hard enough, his food would come up as well.

We started feeding him in intervals (give him 1/4 of his meal, wait 15 minutes, give more), mostly really soft stuff (rice, mashed pumpkin & boiled chicken). His energy levels returned to normal quickly too, but we took him to the vet anyway who gave us some antibiotics. 

We also brought him into the bathroom when we had hot showers and gave him a little honey initially but i'm not sure that made much of a difference.

The vet told us to just wait it out, much like the human flu. The only annoying part was attempting to exercise him without access to other dogs. That and his breath stunk from all the hacking up phlegm/bile/food.


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## Monkeymands1977 (Apr 15, 2014)

Thanks Aliciavp, sounds similar then. I haven't seen anything be coughed up, however he was sick the other night! He's not off his food at all, and not lethargic. I spoke with the breeder yesterday and she suggested manuka honey, so gave him some last night, and this morning I don't think he coughed once...! I'm not counting my chickens yet though  

Its not that I'm trying to stay away from the vets, but obviously dogs are much like humans and vets are not just going to hand out antibiotics, and I'd like his body to build its own immunity to it too.

I'll try the bathroom thing too. 

I took him to the beach last night, it was great!


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

I actually made Scout some chicken soup when she had some kind of head cold type thing. I loaded it up with celery, carrots, parsley, ginger, tumeric, and with a a spoonful each of honey and coconut oil. Basically if the ingredient had any reputed healing properties it went in the soup. I served it slightly warm hoping it would feel good on her throat and clear her nose. Straight up honey, particularly manuka as your breeder recommended is a great idea too! Hope your baby feels better soon!


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## CatK (May 29, 2013)

Yeh what einspanner said basically! Morris got a nasty bout earlier this year, completely lost his appetite for days and days, not fun, so i'd say as long as you can keep him eating and drinking then it will usually pass. If in doubt go to the vet, but ours just kept saying he looked fine and it would pass, then charged us for the pleasure! 

Boiled chicken, use the water as broth (as Morris wouldn't drink plain water at that point). He went off EVERYTHING apart from boiled chicken and the broth. I put coconut oil and honey in it. He is normally such a scoffer. He lost weight but we've got it back on him now just about. Lots of love and rest and food and drink. I hope your boy is up and whizzing again soon.


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## Monkeymands1977 (Apr 15, 2014)

Thank both, chicken soup and the chicken broth both sound very good. May give that a try tonight, as well as more honey . Thankfully he is still eating, drinking and full of beans, so hopefully this will pass, and we won't see it again!


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## aliciavp (Mar 14, 2014)

The vet did cost us $100 odd AUD, I was primarily concerned because he lost his appetite and was very lethargic, and extra clingy. I think if energy levels and food consumption are the same, some good "sick" foods and time are all that's needed  best of luck, it's awful hearing them cough like that!


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## Emily1970 (Apr 21, 2011)

Riley had it went he was 10 months and it went into pneumonia. I was mad because he had had the vaccine. Discovered it's like the flu shot and only covers certain variations. They can still get it!


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