8 Remedies for dog’s kennel cough

Kennel cough is no fun for dogs of any age, and as the owner you are probably desperate to find a way to help your pet feel better. When I adopted my first dog, I didn’t even think about his small cough until I took him for his vet check up. I was told he had a pretty bad case of kennel cough and would need to be kept away from other dogs for a couple of weeks. That’s when I started looking for remedies for dog’s kennel cough.

Known as Infectious tracheobronchitis, kennel cough is a canine respiratory infection caused by a virus. The pathogens attack the cilia protecting your dog’s respiratory tract and cause his upper airway to become inflamed. Obviously, this is going to cause irritation, which results in a dry cough.

Video: Home Remedies for Kennel Cough in Dogs

After doing some research, I found a few remedies that really helped alleviate my dog’s symptoms, and made me feel a little less like the worst dog mom ever. Here are the remedies for dog’s kennel cough that I learned about. Hopefully you can help your pooch start feeling better too!

8 Remedies for Dog’s Kennel Cough

Raw Honey

Only use honey if your dog is over the age of 2. Puppies don’t handle the sugars well, and it can affect their tummies and their teeth. If your dog is an adult and has kennel cough, try a teaspoon of raw honey to alleviate the cough, runny eyes, and goobery nose.

Honey is a natural anti-inflammatory, and helps fight viruses and bacteria in the body. Therefore, it’s one of the best and most effective remedies for dog’s kennel cough. My dog (who was 3) responded to the honey within just a couple of days, and within a week, almost all of his symptoms were gone. It’s important to use raw honey so all of its goodness hasn’t been cooked out by the pasteurizing process.

Don’t give more than a teaspoon a day until you see how your dog reacts, and discontinue if you notice weight gain or stomach problems.

Cinnamon

This is one of the remedies for dog’s kennel cough that shocked me, probably because I think of how much cinnamon makes me sneeze. But cinnamon is an antiviral and is so good for kennel cough.

Just sprinkle about a half-teaspoon on your dog’s food, and let him go to town. Many owners have said that once mixed with food their dog ate the cinnamon without hesitation.

If your dog isn’t interested in the smell of cinnamon, I found that getting the food a little wet, mixing in the cinnamon, and letting the food get soft helped my dog eat it easier. Sometimes, the cough agitates their throats, so I think the wet food went down easier.

Discontinue the cinnamon once your dog’s symptoms are relieved, but keep it in your spice cabinet for when you get your next cold.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is all the rage lately, and for good reason. Dogs with kennel cough (and healthy dogs) can actually eat about a tablespoon of coconut oil a day mixed with food, or just plain – if your dog is into that sort of thing.

Coconut oil kills bacteria, viruses, fungi – it’s a miracle drug. You can even continue using it in your dog’s food after he recovers from kennel cough to help ward off other health problems in the future.

The only side effect you need to worry about with coconut oil is a little extra, loose poop. The oil makes your dog go more, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing!

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