Tales from the consulting room: Exploring what you can do with your Pet First Aid kit - A touch of a cough

puppies

13 Apr

In my experience things often go in waves. Nothing for ages, then a whole bundle come through the door all week. This particular week there seemed to be case after case of dogs with a hacking cough, usually worse at night, sounding as if they had got something stuck in their throat, and often bringing up some white froth.

Now, coughing dogs can be a symptom of all sorts of issues. From foreign bodies to heart issues, to bronchitis and beyond. So, as ever, it is always important to check out the Red Level first. Because it is not always easy to determine the exact cause of the cough, go to your vet to get it assessed and treated if necessary. If you are not that worried yet, then leave some Red Flags in place so you are prepared with your next steps should it not resolve or things get worse.

Next, check out the Green Level to consider how your husbandry might need to be looked at. For example, is there anything in the environment that might make the cough worse, such as a dusty atmosphere? Also remember that kennel cough can be contagious, so avoid contact with other dogs to minimise spread. With the above safely handled, then we can start to look at the Amber Level and possible remedies.

Homeopathic remedies can be very useful for supporting a dog with a cough. In a typical first aid kit you will have a selection that may be useful. The dogs I saw this week all seemed to have a touch of Kennel Cough. This is a throat inflammation, often associated with a variety of bacteria or viruses. In the average case the problem is self-limiting, and it will go away in time whatever you do; sometimes in a few days, usually in less than a week, and occasionally taking a few weeks.

You may be thinking “if it’s going to get better, why should I bother treating?”, which is a fair point. With any illness, there are three key things we can achieve by giving added support. We can reduce the:

· Severity of the symptoms.

· Length of the illness.

· Risk of long term problems developing.

All of these are really worth achieving. With infectious diseases, we can also reduce the risk of something contagious being passed on.

So a whole bunch of good reasons to use some remedies. There are many possible remedies to think of depending on the nature of the cough, so always pay attention to the symptoms your dog is showing. There is one particular remedy that fits the picture of kennel cough really nicely:

Drosera – Usually there is a hacking dry cough, often spasmodic. It really does sound like something is stuck. Sometimes the dog may bring up white froth and sometimes it may even vomit. It is an irritating cough often noted when the dog is lying down or after it has been barking. Usually it is better for a bit of gentle exercise and fresh air.

So, if the picture of the cough is similar to this, then Drosera would be a great remedy to give your dog. Typically dose a few times a day for a few days, reducing frequency with improvement.

If you want to know more about homeopathy for your pets, then look out for the new services coming in 2023.

Helios Homeopathic Pharmacy do a great little first aid kit.