Kennel Cough – Infectious Tracheobronchitis

• Adding water or low sodium chicken broth to their food to encourage good hydration
• Feeding smaller more frequent meals to avoid upsetting the stomach (you may need to offer higher reward foods such as boiled chicken, low fat cottage cheese, or boiled low fat ground beef if his/her appetite is poor)
• Steam therapy either through nebulization with saline 2-3 times per day or by allowing your pet to stay in the bathroom with the shower running hot water and the fan off
• Tailoring back the activities to short leash walks while avoiding neck leads and strenuous activity
• Adding the Nutramax Lab supplement Imuquin to their food daily for a natural immune boost that reduces the duration and severity of the common cold
  

Most dogs show symptoms anywhere from a couple of days to three weeks, but the cough should always be dry and will diminish over time. Please avoid contact with other dogs for a minimum of 2 days beyond when the cough has subsided.



Finally, some dogs will experience more serious symptoms and can require hospitalization, additional testing, and other treatments, such as IV fluids and antibiotics. If you notice the following signs please call or bring your pet in for re-evaluation:

• Loss of appetite for > 24 hours, especially when refusing high reward foods
• Rapid breathing, especially if it is persistent and/or labored
• Severe lethargy
• Signs of fever – feeling warm to the touch and/or achy and lethargic
• Large amounts of mucus or pus-like discharge from the nose or eyes

Please call if you have any questions or concerns and thank you for your patronage.