Kennel Cough
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Kennel Cough - Editor's Choice

| Modified on Mar 01, 2025
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Any dog owner whose pet has become infected with kennel cough (or Bordetella bronchiseptica) knows what a struggle it can be to treat the problem once the virus has set in.' It is likely that your pet has contracted kennel cough if he or she was recently boarded in a kennel or has been in contact with another dog harboring the virus.'

Kennel cough is an air-borne virus, which can be carried in aerosol droplets from the discharge of an infected animal's sneeze or cough or via direct contact with another animal.

Natural remedies like hydrogen peroxide can often work quickly to alleviate symptoms of kennel cough.

Kennel Cough Symptoms

Kennel cough can produce a number of symptoms including a dry, hacking cough, gagging responses, sneezing, and when the virus progresses can result in fever, nasal discharge and the coughing up of mucus.

Without treatment, kennel cough can escalate into a very serious infection or even pneumonia. If your dog does not improve in a day or two, you should bring him/her to the vet for a proper diagnosis and care.

Natural Remedies for Kennel Cough

Effectively handling kennel cough is much easier when treatment is administered soon after the initial development of symptoms.  There are several well-known and very efficient homeopathic treatments for the problem.

Homeopathy

In the beginning stages, if your dog is suffering from a dry and retching cough use a treatment of Drosera.

If the cough has progressed into a more rattling or phlegmy-sounding cough, try using Dulcamara.

For a serious cough, which is producing mucus, use Coccus.  All three remedies are great for battling cough symptoms.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the fastest-acting natural remedies to alleviate kennel cough, according to Earth Clinic readers.

The most popular recipe is to put 3 drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide on a piece of bread and feed to your dog once or twice a day until symptoms are fully gone.

Another treatment is to put drops of 3% peroxide in your dog's water dish. Peroxide and water must be replaced every 6 hours because H202 loses its effectiveness after a few hours.

Continue reading for tips from Earth Clinic readers and let us know what worked for your dog!

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Honey, Hydrogen Peroxide on Bread

Posted by SUSAN (Devon) on 06/12/2022
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

3 Drops of hydrogen peroxide with 1 teaspoon of manuka honey on a little piece of bread stopped my 15 week old puppy coughing straight away.

He coughed 3 times the previous day just after he barked. I thought he was barking in a way that was bothering his larynx. Then come bed time he had some dreadful sounding honking. rasping, choking coughs.

I brought him to the vets first thing just to be sure he was ok. Vet confirmed it was kennel cough and no treatment was needed. (so glad they stopped giving out antibiotics willy nilly)

I came home and tried the peroxide remedy and it was like a miracle. I am astounded at the swift difference. The vet said he may well get worse before better but all he did was get immediately better. No rasping or rattling that night. He coughed quietly the next day once for two seconds. Today he has no symptoms.

I gave him 3 doses about 10 hrs apart. Do try this remedy it's fantastic.

Thank you so much to the person who originally posted it.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 09/12/2017
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

For those asking about Kennel cough:

Kennel cough *looks like* your dog is trying to cough up a lung, or as if a bone is stuck in their throat. You might consider a homeopathic children's cough remedy, and you might try hydrogen peroxide - food grade is ideal but if you have the brown bottle from the drug store in your medicine cabinet you can use 3 drops on a bit of bread with a few drops of honey. Give a spiked bread ball once an hour and wait and see if it is working. Other reasons for a dog to cough are congestive heart failure and collapsed trachea. If the coughing persists despite home treatment you should see your vet to rule out a more serious condition.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Bill (Seffner, Fl) on 12/09/2011
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

My little sister's sick dog.

1 tsp honey

1 tsp lemon

3 drops HP 3% regular stuff

about 1/4 slice of bread

Cough gone in about 45 seconds.

Wow.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Fuchufoxx (Alpharetta, Ga, United States) on 09/11/2011
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

This works like magic! I think my poor AmStaff "Vegas" contracted the cough at the vet yesterday, and she was so miserable because she couldn't stop coughing and gagging. I kept giving her honey to sooth her throat. The honey would work for an hour or so, but then the coughing would start up again. I thought I was going to have to take her to vet today again (another pet bill) until I stumbles across this site. After reading all of the positive feedback of giving dogs HP, I decided to give it a try. It has worked like a charm! (so far)...

I gave her the following mixture:

3 drops of 3% HP

14 oz of water

1 tsp of honey

1 tsp of lemon juice

I soaked some bread in the mixture and fed it her, and the rest is sitting in her water bowl. She has not coughed since I gave this to her. It's amazing. I wasn't expecting for it to work, but it did!

Thank you for all the posts. This has been extremely helpful me and Vegas.



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