An early detection is essential for the timely treatment of any illness and this becomes extremely critical when we are discussing or talking in the context of man’s best friend – the dog. Given the fact that your dog cannot communicate to you in your language, it is critical that you be able to identify any unusual symptoms that may appear.

Knowing the preliminary symptoms of any illness or disease is therefore, required. Kennel cough is one illness that any dog can contract if he has been in close proximity with another infected dog. Though rampant in kennels and places that board dogs, the disease can attack any dog.

Typically symptoms of kennel cough include a harsh, cough that sometimes leads to retching or gagging. The coughing bouts are exaggerated while any kind of exercising and lead to a loathing for play. Some dogs show listlessness and low levels of energy and are not excited by the things they earlier used to enjoy. This could include going for walks or playing catch. In some cases, dogs also get a fever but this is not always necessary. Lack of appetite is another symptom that can appear at the onset of kennel cough. Other than the phlegm that is coughed up, some dogs also get a yellowish or greenish discharge from the nose or the eyes. This is normally a sign that the kennel cough is progressing into pneumonia and will need immediate attention

Kennel cough is an illness that infects mostly canines and sometimes cats also. The condition is very similar to that of the common cold in human beings and the best treatment for this condition is to let it run its course.

The problem, however, is that the symptoms of kennel cough are extremely painful and can test the patience of many dog owners. The dry, honking cough can keep you and your dog awake through nights for more than 15 to 20 days at times.

Many people suggest cough suppressants as a remedy to check the cough, but cough suppressants actually keep the phlegm from coming out increasing the number of days of misery for your pet. And the longer the kennel cough stays, the chances of it developing into pneumonia or any other infectious illness increase.

Prevention is the best form of cure, they say and nothing could be truer for kennel cough. Giving your pet a vaccine and a booster dose when required is the best way to save him from the agony that he will go through if he contracts the disease.

When an external stimulus is able to pass through the nasal hair and reaches further to irritate the nasal mucosa, it sets of the semi-autonomous response of sneezing. Occasional sneezing is normal and is generally caused by foreign substances that irritate the nasal mucosa. Sneezing can also be caused due to a sudden change in climatic temperature and humidity.

While in humans the functional aspects of sneezing have not been established, it is not considered to be a good sign in domestic pets. Sneezing in healthy dogs may be indicative of numerous conditions including upper respiratory infection in canines.

A veterinarian assessment is called for if your dog is continuously sneezing. The first thing that needs to be eliminated is the presence of a foreign substance in the nasal passage since the sneezing can be caused by something as simple as a blade of grass that is disturbing the system. In such situations too it is better to seek veterinarian help to remove the object since you may irritate and damage the mucosa in the process.

Kennel cough, an extremely contagious infection among dogs is very similar to common cold and cannot be treated. The only real treatment for the disease is to see it through for the 15 to 20 days that it may last. The only thing that you can do if the disease has already hit, is to take good care of your dog, keep him in a humid, warm environment and reduce the level of exercise that he may be used to.

Knowing the symptoms and treatments of kennel cough can go a long way in identifying the problem well in time so that proper care can be taken. The ideal way to tackle kennel however, is to prevent it from ever happening. There are various vaccines that can be given to dogs as young as a few weeks to avoid the problem completely.

As the name suggests, kennel cough is likely to strike when many dogs are in close proximity like say in a kennel, dog shows or a place where many dogs are boarded. Even though most reputed kennels ensure that the inmate does not have this disease among others, there are cases where other dogs can be carriers of the disease without showing any sign of the condition themselves. And therefore most people will suggest that if your dog is primarily a house dog and is not exposed to other dogs in such conditions; it may be ‘quite okay’ to not get a vaccine for kennel cough.

The whole idea of the topic of this article seems to be dubious since the fact is that kennel cough does not have any remedies at all. It is like the common cold that humans get or the chest congestion that will take its own course and heal on its own.

The symptoms of kennel cough take about 5 to 6 days to appear after the bacterium or virus actually strikes your pet. Knowing the symptoms and treatment for kennel cough can go a long way in helping your dog feel more comfortable.

The best way to ensure that your dog does not have a painful ad bad time with kennel cough is to prevent it. Vaccinate your dog against the bacterium and viruses that can cause kennel cough. Speak to your vet about the details and the schedule for the booster doses. Know that these vaccines are not only necessary for dogs that stay in kennels or go for dog shows. Kennel cough is so infectious that it can occur even if your pet stays at home generally but visits parks and goes for walks.

Kennel cough is an extremely contagious illness that can affect your canine pet. It technically called tracheobronchitis and affects the upper respiratory tract causing an inflammation. The disease is mainly caused by a viral infection like distemper, parainfluenza, or adenovirus but can also be caused by bacteria like Bordetella bronchiseptica.

The illness derives its name from the fact that the main symptom of the condition is a dry cough that sounds like a honk that gives the impression as if something is stuck in the throat. The word kennel has been given to the problem since it is highly infectious and can be spread easily in kennels and places that board dogs.

The virus or bacteria spreads through air and physical contact is not necessary and since the virus is air-borne, the virus can spread when an infected dog in the vicinity sneezes or coughs. And therefore, it is essential that the infected dog is isolated from all others. The reason why the disease becomes extremely rampant in any area that has even a single dog with the condition makes it almost impossible to contain. The symptoms of kennel cough appear about a few days after exposure and once contracted the disease will last for anywhere from 10 days to three weeks.