My dog has kennel cough: What should I do and when to call the vet?

Oh no, poor Rosie! I would not give her any more Robitussin, as too much is not safe for dogs. Kennel cough is a self limiting disease that last three to four weeks, and while medications can help with the symptoms, they will not completely prevent the symptoms of it. I would have Rosie seen by a vet, who can prescribe medications are safe to give her. There are some things you can do for her at home. Any dog with kennel cough should be isolated for at least two weeks, possibly longer depending on the severity of the infection. Keep her in a well-humidified area, and use a harness instead of a collar to minimize coughing. Rest her for at least seven days to minimize irritation of the airways caused by excessive coughing. You can bring Rosie into the bathroom with you while you have a shower, as the steam may help with the respiratory irritation. I recommend having her seen by a vet tomorrow.

Kennel cough is not an emergency unless your dog is in respiratory distress. It should be ok to wait until Monday. Should your dog get a discharge from the nose and/or eyes or start having breathing problems, you need to take it to a vet right away.

Kennel cough usually resolves within a couple weeks. Since this has been happening for a month, your dog should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can take an X-Ray to evaluate the lungs and determine the best way to treat. He might need an antibiotic, anti-inflammatory or other medications depending on the cause.

You are correct that Kona likely has kennel cough, which is a highly contagious respiratory disease. I would take her into the vet tomorrow. Kennel cough is typically self limiting and can take up to three weeks for symptoms to completely resolve, but her symptoms may benefit from some medications such as antibiotics. Medications can lessen the severity of the symptoms, and may speed up recovery.

You can have Lola examined by your veterinarian to confirm your thought. Most cases of kennel cough will resolve with our without treatment within 2 weeks although the cough may linger beyond that. Other causes such as heartworm disease, cardiac disease, parasites or other respiratory infection should also be ruled out.

Kennel cough, if that is what she has, typically resolves on its own in about 2 weeks. Ideally, Nova should be physically examined by your vet to confirm infection. Antibiotics may be given to treat secondary infection, but this is not always the case. Cough suppressants may be dispensed for severe coughing. Do not give her anything OTC without first speaking with your vet. A half teaspoon of honey may help soothe her throat.

This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection (inflammatory, allergic, infective). Kennel cough infection could be definitively a possibility. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. As long as they do not show any systemic sign (like inappetence, lethargy, hyperthermia) they can be seen on Wednesday. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

It sounds like Zoey may have an upper respiratory infection such as kennel cough. This is a very contagious disease and she may have picked it up while walking outside, or when sniffing another dog. This is usually a self-limiting disease and will go away by itself within 4 weeks. If she gets a purulent discharge (nose and/or eyes), has trouble breathing or coughs more than a couple of times a day, you need to take her to the vet for an exam, antibiotics and cough medicine.

It sounds like Roxie has developed kennel cough which is like doggy flu. The cough is typical and the foam is produced due to airway irritation. I would make an appointment as she will benefit from an antinflammatory and may need an antibiotic. You could give her a little warm honey in water to help her in the mean time.

This is suspicious of kennel cough, which is an infection of the upper respiratory system. Kennel cough is most suspicious if Lexie has been in contact with other dogs in the past month or so. If Lexie has not had contact with other dogs, then the cough is likely due to something else. They can develop a cough and runny nose with conditions like distemper, allergies, heart worm, heart disease and lung worm. For this reason, it's best to have Lexie checked out by a veterinarian. They will be able to determine the cause of this and prescribe the appropriate treatment. It's definitely doesn't appear to be an emergency though, so you are safe to wait a day or two to see if it gets better (can happen with some viral diseases). I hope that helps and Lexie gets better soon.