Natural Remedies to Treat Kennel Cough in Dogs

Honey, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lemon Juice

Posted by Dogwood (Thousand Oaks, Ca) on 05/13/2014
★★★★★

Recently rescued a mastiff mix from a shelter - a week later she started a bad cough with discharge from her eyes and nose. Used this HP/honey/lemon recipe (3 drops Food Grade 3% HP, tsp organic honey, small squeeze fresh lemon) administered every 4 hours - she stopped coughing within 20 min, discharge cleared up in a day. However, the rest of the dogs started coughing - administered it to them with a turkey baster two times and they stopped coughing within minutes - all but one stopped coughing/sneezing entirely after the 2nd dose. (I'll post separately my continued problems with remaining dog.) The properties of this particular recipe appears to be quite effective.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Noelle1000 (Elkhorn, Ne, Usa) on 07/24/2013
★★★★★

Dachshund was up half the night coughing and hacking. Of course, my dogs always get sick on weekends and holidays. I checked EC and found this treatment to try. I used my 35% FOOD GRADE H2O2 and diluted it to a 3% solution. I put 1 teaspoon of honey in a little cup and put some of the H2O2 solution in. I filled a small syringe with the mixture and shot it into her mouth. That darn dog has not coughed even one time since then! I did repeat the dosage every six hours for the next day, but not sure if it was needed. A miracle cure, really.

Honey, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lemon Juice

Posted by Bellasmom (Medford, Oregon, United States) on 03/04/2012
★★★★★

YAY! I adopted a 2ish year old chihuahua mix from the local shelter. She had been given Bortadella. However, by the 5th day at her new home, she started coughing. This rapidly turned into a really bad cough. It was awful to hear and watch. My husband found this site. We started immediately with the 4 drops of Hydrogen Peroxide (we keep oral in the house) and 8 ozs of water (instead of the 14) 1/2 tsp of honey, and a squeeze of lemon. I used a dropper to administer. After two administrations, 4 hours apart, she had a coughing attack, and her head was on fire. I gave her 1/2 of a 81mg childs aspirin, and a 1/2 dropper of rescue remedy. She fell asleep. I kept checking her vitals. After sleeping about 4 hours, she woke up and never coughed again! I kept administering the dropper of the HP mix, less the lemon, for another day, every 4 hours. This worked so well, my husband passed the recipe to our vet. He has always had an open mind, and after being our vet for 11 years, he knows we come up with alternative cures. That's just the way we are. My mother was one for giving baby aspirin, so I knew that would be fine. Especially in the mini dose. I am so thankful for this site.

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 Ryan (Sylacauga, Al) on 07/28/2011
★★★★★

hydrogen peroxide 3% really worked for a sick puppy. I have a 4 week old pup that had nasal discharge, labored breathing, loss of appetite, and was lethargic. We give the pup a 3 drop h2o2, 16 oz. Water, and lemon juice mix. We had to force some liquid down. After giving the mixture, the pup was 50% better within 30 minutes. After an hour the pup was 95% better. The pup was eating, breathing better, and energetic. Still had some nasal discharge but a great improvement overall. I would not have believed that hydrogen peroxide would have made that much difference, that quickly unless I saw it with my own eyes. If you read this post and you are it doubt, trust me just try it. best of all no vet bill.

Garlic

Posted by Jay (Ohio) on 02/04/2017

This has been found to be untrue. This statement came from a single study done in japan on four dogs. Think again.

Garlic

Posted by Gemma (Pacnw) on 12/26/2017
★★★★★

Our VET suggested garlic in low doses, as other vets we have seen through the years. High doses are toxic, just like high doses of other meds. But our vet suggested garlic for the dogs and he is not a holistic vet.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Louise (Fl) on 04/24/2017
★★★★★

Tried the hydrogen peroxide method on my golden Retriever,, 3 drops of 3% on a piece of bread. It stopped her cough within minutes. Amazing.. thank you

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Suseeq (Sydney Australia) on 08/21/2016
★★★★★

Hydrogen Peroxide for Kennel Cough:

If you still want to use the hydrogen peroxide, the dosage is 3 drops to 8 oz water in drinking water but the water must be changed about every 4 hours as the peroxide looses its effectiveness, only use 3% peroxide.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Vicky (Australia) on 04/02/2017

It's fine. You store it away from children when its undiluted form. You mix it to 3% or 6% (for teeth-mouthwash etc) and keep this in a spray bottle- that's what I do, I inhale a fine mist of it 4 times a day because I'm a smoker, I use it as a mouthwash daily, I spray it on cat bites (I'm an animal rescuer) spry it on any and every wound- and any wounds my animals get because it stops infections and takes away a lot of the pain. I drink 4 drops a day in a glass of water because it kills parasites and put 3 drops in my dogs cats and birds water whenever they're sick- to kill germs and infections and parasites. It's always the first thing I go to. There is so much information online about all it can do you should research. MUST be FOOD GRADE and must be diluted for use- that's all ;)

Diagnosing Kennel Cough

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 02/01/2014
★★★★★

There are myriad reasons for a dog to have a cough; older dogs can cough from tracheal collapse; dogs infected with heart worm will cough; puppies seem to pick up 'kennel cough' just by visiting the dog park. A sure fire way for a vet to test for KC is to press on the throat in a certain area - the dog will cough it if has KC [sorry I can't explain in fuller detail]. I did have one of mine catch KC and it sounded as if she had a bone stuck in her throat and was trying a deep cough to bring it up.

Kennel cough is a virus with a billion gazillion strains: like the human flu, you can give your pet the KC vaccine but if the strain of virus your dog is exposed to is not covered in the vaccine, then your dog is at risk of catching that strain of KC.

Vet's often prescribe antibiotics for KC *just in case* your dog develops bacterial complications. I try to avoid unnecessary antibiotics but would consider dosing 3-5-7 days if it did appear that my dog developed a secondary bacterial infection due to the stress of fighting off the virus.

If you are certain you are dealing with KC, I have used homeopathic children's cough remedy available from the natural health store do the trick. That and nutritional support with vitamin C or Echinacea boosted with vitamin C was all that was needed.

Drossera 30C

Posted by Theresa (Mpls., Mn) on 08/17/2017

Hey Vee,

You tip 4-6 of the white pills into an envelope, and then crush the pills into a powder and then tip the powder into your dog's mouth and hold shut for a few moments to allow the powder to dissolve. Do not touch with your fingers.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Lisa (Austin, Tx) on 06/26/2013
★★★★★

Thank you for posting the recipe! It worked wonders for my 12 year old pomeranian who contracted kennel cough from the vet's office. Did two doses 6 hours apart and no more cough.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Trish (Anderson, California) on 12/29/2011
★★★★★

Wow. Thanks to all the posters here. I have been up all night with my terrier poodle mix. She has been caughing since yesterday and nothing I have done has helped until I just gave her the honey water peroxide mix. She drank the whole 8 oz cup with one teaspoon honey and three drops HP. ( the regular kind) and she has caughed a little. But is know sleeping. Again thank you!!!

Honey, Hydrogen Peroxide, Lemon Juice

Posted by Samson (Spring Valley, California) on 10/31/2011
★★★★★

OMG!! My 4 month old Boxer puppy Zeus was coughing so bad for 3days. My husband and I assumed he had gotten into something and was trying to bring it up, by the hacking and gagging noise he was making. He nor I could not sleep well at all because his coughing kept him awake. (needless to say my husband slept like a baby). I was determined to find an immediate remedy for my puppy and honestly stumbled upon this site. I went to the store got the Honey, peroxide and lemon juice, gave it to Zeus (and Samson as a precaution) and he stopped the loud honking noise and gagging immediately. I'm going to give them the water mixture for the next 5 days until he is completely healed. I might give to them for 2days every 3months. THANK YOU ALL FOR HELPING MY ZEUS!! I am smiling ear2ear!

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.

Garlic

Posted by Tucson_arizona (Tucson, Arizona, U.s.a.) on 05/16/2010
★★★★★

Kennal Cough & Garlic Yay

We have a 3 month old mixed breed puppy. I noticed about a week ago he started having a kind of hacking cough.
So that first day I hear it, I gave him a garlic pill. I am giving him 1 500 mg orderless tablet a day. I have used garlic pills in the past, and recommend getting only odorless, other wise the non-oderless have a nasty way of "coming back at ya" if you know what I mean lol.

I also started putting a chewable vitamin C pill on top of his dog food, and he is eating that!

Ever since I start giving him(Magnum) the Garlic,he stopped hacking almost immediately!

Pedialyte

Posted by Dusty (Modesto, Ca) on 11/27/2009
★★★★★

My dog developed a cough and was coughing up a clear mucus. She lost her energy and had a hard time eating dry food and wasn't drinking as much water as she normally does. I fed her canned food which she ate very quickly...I gave her pedialyte (about a half ounce to an ounce) every two hours for about 8 hours. I left for work and got home about 12 hours later. When I got home, she was running around and playing. She coughed a couple times, but it wasn't that honking, dry cough and she didn't cough up any mucus. My family has used pedialyte when our dogs get sick to prevent them from dehydrating, but it seems to work for parvo as well. I was told u can inject it just under the skin as well, but I fed mine to my dog using a turkey baster. Worked well.

Garlic, Echinacea

Posted by Ellen (Fort Bragg, Ca) on 09/05/2009
★★★★★

All 6 dogs on the 2 properties got kennel cough (dog colds) at the same time. The 3 next door got "a deal" from the vet because of 3 at once and were only charged $65.00. The 2 on my side I treated with a clove of garlice (put down their throat with a finger) and a 1/2 dropperful of Echinacea for 3 days and then just the garlic for another 7 days. All doctors have you take your meds for 10 days so as not to grow a superbug. Use garlic as an antibiotic/antiviral and treat it as such. It works. And tea tree oil is the best infection fighter for anyone, anything I've put it on. Real easy to apply in an open animal would with a dropper. Ellen A.

Ted's Remedies

Posted by Josh King (USA) on 04/17/2021 29 posts
★★★★★

Hi. I had been treating a pup with kennel cough for about 8 days. Took to the vet. Got doxycycline. Dosed twice and my dog got worse.

The vet confirmed kennel cough. infection was moving to the lungs after dosing doxycycline. One side effect potentially of the antibiotic is restricted airways (maybe not a good idea on vet's part to use this for kennel cough??) Took her back and got a second antibiotic. Freaked out; I decided to stop antibiotics altogether. Never opened the new bottle of Amoxycillin.

I used Ted's remedy for kennel cough as I've had it memorized by heart for some time now, I have used it for myself and my mother for COVID19 and for flu the winter before.

1 crystal sodium thiosulfate. (crystal about 2 mm long and 1 mm thick) dissolved in half glass water, with 1/64 tsp zinc orotate powder, or about 15mg in total zinc for a 60 lb dog. Zinc can be toxic to dogs in high amount, but not this amount, have charcoal on hand in case I overdose the dog.
I gave this solution only once as an opener.
Immediately followed by 1/8 teaspoon each of pure N Acetyl Cystine (NAC) and L-Lysine amino acids. Get capsules at a pharmacy or big box stores if you can't wait for online orders.
Repeat 1/8t each of amino acids 3 more times, an hour apart for a total of 4 dosages.
Repeat 4 more times the next day, an hour apart; do not repeat zinc / thiosulfate again.

"The dog should come out fine" in Ted's words.

He is right. Her week long pneumonia , cough, and lung fluid was entirely gone.

I dosed the amino acids in bone broth nice and warm but not boiling.

I also used 1/8 tsp pure echinacea powder, and 1/16 tsp 5:1 goldenseal extract powder in the bone broth with each dose, as well as a sprinkle of garlic powder. I was using these herbs before too, with not much improvement, though they did seem to relieve her discomfort somewhat.

Ted's remedy saved my girl, and without having to destroy her gut bacteria with harsh antibiotics. I am dosing her with probiotics for a little while maybe a week or two just to counter what the doxycycline may have done.

PS: Doxycycline causes either suicidal thoughts , depression, or hallucinations in humans, in more than 50% of cases with side effects. Tread carefully.

UPDATE: It may help the dog's GI tract to buffer the amino acids' acidity, by administering a little baking soda in milk between meals once a day, perhaps 1/8 tsp in a dash of milk. Halt after remedy is complete - unless dosing baking soda for other issues.