The Symptoms of Kennel Cough

Kennel Cough may not be a serious or a life-threatening disease. However, it can leave your dog very irritable and uncomfortable just the same. As such, your pet has to be treated immediately so that it won't have to suffer from the symptoms of the disease any longer.

The symptoms of kennel cough are as follows:

1. Hacking cough.

Dogs may cough differently from humans. In dogs, it may sound like a dry, vomiting-like type of cough. It is a sound that resonates inside the dog's body frame. When you listen to it, you are almost sure that the dog is going to throw up any minute. The cough may also be continual, which is a big discomfort to your pet. Dogs with kennel cough have to be treated right away to achieve relief.

2. Phlegm.

If your dog emits phlegm and is producing a gagging sound from its throat, then it is definitely suffering from kennel cough.
Check the sleeping area of your dog for phlegm or yellow-like discharges. However, there are times that your pet has dry cough and that won't produce phlegm. That doesn't change the fact that your pet suffers from a respiratory tract infection that you have to address immediately.

3. Fever.

Fever is one of the symptoms of kennel cough, although it always present in most dog diseases. However, if your dog's coughing is combined with fever, then you are almost sure that your dog is suffering from the worse case of the disease. You need to take it to the vet right away to receive the necessary treatments.

4. Less alert and active.

You will definitely know a sick dog if you see one. Sick dogs will try to tell their master that they are not feeling well. They do so by not responding eagerly to calls or by staying in one corner of the house all day.
Dogs with kennel cough are definitely suffering inside. However, there are dogs that remain active even though they have acquired the disease. Either way, you should recognize your dog's condition and provide it with the necessary care and guidance.

Kennel cough is a highly contagious disease. Therefore, your pet has to be cleared of it before it tries to infect the others. Dogs are social animals. You can't keep them in one place all day unless you put them on a leash or keep them inside a kennel. Remember that kennel cough can transfer from your dog to your cat and to other pets. So whenever one of them is affected, try to keep everybody else in their proper places.

With the right medications, these symptoms of kennel cough can be addressed easily. It may take your dog a full month before recovering from the disease. However, that should be worth the wait for as long as your dog is no longer suffering. There are instances when a dog suffers from this health concern, it becomes very prone to it and can transmit it to other animals for the rest of its life. This is where the guidance of a veterinarian can help.

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