Kennel Cough

[kazzaroth]

Kiki has developed kennel cough over the last 2 days. What can I giver her? Is benylin (sp?) OK?
Do I need to take her to the vets for antibiotics or should I let it run it's course naturaly?
Can it be dangerous? or is it just like a human throat/chest infection?

[Nettie]

Children's Benilyn. Honey, if she'll take it, if not then honey dissolved in warm water and given with a tea spoon or syringe if you have one will also help soothe her throat. Just put the liquid into the pocket in her cheek and she should swallow it. She'll need antibiotics if it goes to her chest but if she isn't snotty, just coughing then there isn't much your vet can do. If you are at all worried however, do see the vet.

[cadbury]

Nettie I'm sorry to overide you on the childrens Benilyn but it's not a good thing to give, it suppresses the cough so you can't tell how the infecection is progressing, Lisa told me about this when I told her that that was what the local pound reccomends.
Lisa recommends honey boiled in water with licorice sticks and allow the water to cool. This mixture soothes throat but dosen't interupt the muck coming out.
Get kiki up the vets and on some ab's and possibly treat any other dogs you have to stop it going round the house and cross infecting. I know this sounds very dramatic but our local pound has the most horriffic kennel cough on earth, I've had fosters that have come from there. Lilly in particular had 1 weeks treatment of synolux and 2 weeks of batriyl, hacked green snot both from nose and mouth, she went to her new home us thinking it was all treated and went on to develop phonemia, so I'm understanbly extra double tripple cautious of the slightest sign of KC.

[slinkydogs]

Children's Benilyn at no more than the child dose is safe for dogs, and is fine to use provided it's not a productive cough, if it's productive (chewing after coughing/visible phlegm/snotty nose etc), or your dog's unwell with it, I'd get her checked by a vet but uncomplicated kennel cough is a self limiting illness (it's just like coughs in humans caused by a range of different bugs and effects different dogs differently) Honey and lemon works well too in soothing their throat.

If you haven't got one chemists should sell you a syringe for not a lot.

[hippyhounds]

i agree with nicky lisa also told me not to use benilyn as it suppress the cough and you cant tell how bad the infection is.we,ve also had fosters with kennel cough charlie had it really bad she was on abs for 3 weeks and i also made up the honey and liquoire sticks water for them all to help protect my dogs as it coats the throat as well as soothing the throat of the dog with kennel cough.i really would take her to the vets for treatment as when it progress on to the chest its not a pretty sight when green snot is going everywere,its also highly contagious to other dogs so you have to watch not to let your dog near other dogs.

[Lisa]

I dont use Benelyn on my vets advice. He told me and I agree that if the phlegm is lose and needs to be hacked up and shifted supressing it could force it back onto the chest and lungs, we see alot of dogs with kc as you can imagine and havent ever used it.

Instead I go to a health food store and buy some root liquorice the proper stuff like tree twigs and a jar of decent honey manuka honey is even better as its a natural anti inflammatory and helps with infection. I boil the liquorice root for around 15minutes on the stove then turn the stove off add a tablespoon of honey and allow to cool. Take up the normal drinking water and put this down in place. As they are drinking more both the liquorice and honey in the water add as a soother rather than a supressor and help to stop the coughing. Many people advise not to visit the vets unless they get a secondary infection but I like to treat with Noraclav asap to avoid the secondary infection stage if possible as it takes longer to clear up if they do progress.

Kiki should be fine quite quickly as she is a healthy young dog and not in a stressful environment. Its the dogs in kennels or that are moved that usually go down harder and heavier.

[Lisa]

Had to add now that im giggling as the free advert on this thread has changed to one for Holland and Barret so you dont even have to go looking for the website

Just nobody mention their bedroom activities on the board please for gods sake

[slinkydogs]

Just be careful not to feed them too much liquorice it puts up blood pressure and messes with the salt balance in excess (I've seen people ill because they've eaten loads of liquorice allsorts!!) If there's phlegm around (a productive cough) then I'd not give them Benilyn either but as above if it's a dry cough that's distressing them by giving Benilyn you're easiing their distress and if they're coughing less they're less likely to spread it too. That said the only time I ever gave it Wilf it made him drowsy so I didn't carry on.

[vickyb]

We had to switch to a harness when Trix had it as the slightest pressure on her throat made her hack madly. Found she walks better on it anyway. Many many years ago our old vet prescribed benylin for kennel cough but never had it since, just antibiotics. Hope she's feeling better soon.