My dog is sick, has kennel cough, and lost her appetite. What to do?

I would recommend that you have your puppy re-evaluated by a veterinarian. Kennel cough does not usually cause this severe of a depression. It can, however, turn into pneumonia and should be treated very seriously. There are no human OTC cough suppressants that are safe to use in his situation since we don't know exactly what is going on. Warm water with honey and lemon is safe, and may soothe a simple cough.

Congrats on your new dog, but I'm sorry Willow is sick! Kennel cough doesn't have a cure, the medications are used to lessen the severity of the symptoms, but it sounds like the disease is getting a bit worse. I would rest her tonight, keep her in a well humidified area, and use a harness instead of a collar when you take her out to potty to minimize coughing. You can also try bringing her into the bathroom with you when you shower as the steam may help with her congestion. Try gently warming up really smelly wet food to tempt her to eat. Dogs won't eat if they can't smell their food, so gently warming it may entice her to eat. I would have her seen by a vet again in the morning since her symptoms have become more severe. The vet may prescribe additional medications to help with them. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Unfortunately there is nothing very helpful over the counter that can be given for kennel cough. You can try to run a hot shower and let them inhale the steam for 10-15 minutes as sometimes this will help with airway congestion. The good news is that most dogs recover from kennel cough on there own fairly quickly. Make sure they keep eating and drinking normally because if they are stop this can be a sign of a more serious illness. If they aren't feeling better within a couple days or at any point their symptoms get worse you should have them examined by your veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I hope Tango is feeling better soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The diarrhea is very common after boarding and can be related to either the food or the stress/excitement of boarding. The thirst is usually secondary (that is, to keep up with the water loss of the diarrhea.) The antibiotics Tylan and metronidazole are commonly prescribed for diarrhea because they restore the gut bacteria balance and have some anti-inflammatory effects in the gut as well. I expect that part o clear up in a few days. The cough could still be kennel cough. “Kennel cough” is a syndrome that can be caused by about a dozen viruses and bacteria. The current kennel cough vaccine only covers one bacterial cause. If it is mild, you may not need to do anything. Most dogs clear kennel cough on their own within 4 weeks. If she is not eating, is lethargic, the cough is severe or keeps her (or you) up at night, you need to see your vet for antibiotics and/or a cough suppressant. Of course coughing can also be: pneumonia, fungal infection, heart disease, bronchitis, and others. So if you are worried at all, see your vet. Best wishes to you and the pups!

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Jackie. Many states right now are experiencing outbreaks of respiratory problems in dogs. All of us in the profession are always worried about canine flu outbreaks. I would advise that if the condition worsens or doesn't resolve, have your veterinarian evaluate Jackie. There are many causes of coughing and having a thorough history would help narrow that down. Of course kennel cough, allergies, things in the air that are irritants, etc are all possible including many others. Again, with everything going on now across the United States, I would advise a trip to your vet's office with her. They can evaluate her and then advise some treatment or diagnostic testing to screen for a cause. They may advise fecal tests, blood tests, x-rays, or other tests to determine a cause. Better to be safe in this case. Good luck with Jackie.

It can take several days for kennel cough to start to improve even with medication. Once the active infection is cleared it can still take weeks to months sometimes for the cough to completely go away. But if Tobi seems worse at all, or starts acting sick otherwise, doesn't want to eat, lethargic etc. then please take her back to be rechecked. In some cases kennel cough can develop into a worse infection or pneumonia. Many times antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication may be prescribed. If it has only been a day or two I would consider giving it a little more time, but if otherwise concerns please contact Tobi's veterinarian to see what else could be done I hope she feels better soon thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

This sounds like she has a mild cold or upper respiratory infection. Generally these are viral colds and will run their course over a week or so. Just like with us no antibiotics are needed unless she develops a secondary bacterial infection. If the discharge becomes green and her condition worsens then please bring her right in for treatment. She could give this to other dogs so letting her rest at home until she recovers is the best plan. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sydney.