How Long Does Kennel Cough Last? Home Remedies

How long does kennel cough last can be answered fairly simply. First if it is a mild case then it could be 1-2 weeks. If more severe it can take longer and can also take longer if the dog is older or has other underlying health conditions. Also kennel cough can turn into pneumonia and need treatment from the vet. Let’s take a quick look at what kennel cough is, the symptoms, and some treatment options if the case is mild which most cases are. If you like the home remedies listed then click on the links at the bottom of the page for additional great home remedies for a variety of ailments and illnesses our pets get.

Home Remedies :

- Pediatric robitussen is being used for puppies to help soothe throat tissues that have become sore due to the inflammation of the throat that occurs from the infection. Just like we would do for our children cough syrups are being used on pets.
- Honey is being used not only to soothe the throat but also for the antiseptic benefits of the honey. The amount that is being reported used is 1 teaspoon of honey given three times a day. Other people are having trouble getting the dog to take straight honey are mixing it in water and giving a few drops directly into your pet’s mouth every hour or so.
- Peppermint tea is being given at a rate of two drops per hour until the coughing stops. The tea can be made out of peppermint leaves and water.
- Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) is being used not only to disinfect the water bowls but also to put into the drinking water. In this case 3 drops of hydrogen peroxide (3%) is being mixed into 8 ounces of water along with two teaspoons of honey.
- Hydrogen Peroxide (3%) as a tooth brushing solution. This solution is being used at a rate of 3 drops of hydrogen peroxide (3%) into 4 ounces of water and then using the solution with a tooth brush to brush the dog’s teeth. This is reported to stop the coughing and repeated when the cough comes back. Slow gentle brushing is the technique with this one.
- Certain herbal remedies are also being used to expel mucus. One is plantango lanceolata .
- Another herbal remedy being used to clear mucus is Bryonia C6 which is also reported to be able to soothe sore throat tissues.
- Yerba Santa is being used to help out with phlegm. This is being used in making a strong tea and then giving a few drops in water to your dog every hour or so. Some report using 15-25 drops in to an ounce of distilled water and then giving this to your dog every hour or more until the coughing stops.
- Wild Cherry Bark as a tea. Again make a tea out of this and give a few drops with water to your dog every hour or so until the coughing stops.

Read more »

Coughing up phlegm elimination

It's almost always a sign of your body fighting off whatever infection is wreaking havoc on your respiratory system - which is actually a good thing. Phlegm is primarily composed of mucous, dead bacteria and virus, dead white blood cells, and various tissues and cells. The difference between phlegm and other mucous is that phlegm comes from your lungs, not from your nasal passages.

In around 400 B.C. it was thought that phlegm was part of the four humours, the four basic substances that were supposed to comprise the human body. The other three humours were black bile, bile, and blood, and when they were balanced, the body would achieve harmony and would thus be healthy. A lack or excess of any of the humours resulted in diseases or disabilities. It was the ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates (of the Hippocratic Oath fame) who is credited for coming up with this theory. For 2,000 years, it influenced medical thinking until it was discredited in the 1800s.

While phlegm is an indication that your body's immune system is working overtime to get rid of those nasty invaders that are trying to make you sick, coughing up phlegm every few minutes is still a rather unpleasant practice. Here are several things you can do to get rid of the phlegm quicker so you won't have to find yourself in potentially embarrassing and totally awkward situations.

Phlegm Elimination

If you're a smoker, cut the habit. Everyone knows that smoking aggravates and promotes several lung and bronchial problems. As if body infections are not enough, respiratory diseases caused by smoking will give your body additional health issue baggage it does not need. Smoking interferes with your body's ability to fight off any infection, so whatever problems it is currently engaged in that resulted in the formation of mucous will be prolonged. Thus, your phlegm problem will drag on longer. Smoking also kills the cilia that line your lungs, making it harder for you to cough out phlegm. If you've been coughing up brown or gray-colored phlegm, it means that your body is screaming for you to lay off the cigarettes. It would do you well to cut out the filthy habit before those browns and grays become speckled with red - a sure precursor to something serious, like lung cancer.

Treat any nasal or sinus infection that you have. As mentioned earlier, phlegm is just an accumulation of mucous and other dead substances that coagulate and become visible. Mucous isn't a foreign object - your body's airways produce mucous regularly. These mucus secretions don't accumulate because they're regularly cleared to your throat where they are carried down by the saliva. If you have an infection that blocks normal passage to the airways and throat, the mucus doesn't get drained down by the saliva and thus accumulates. Fixing the infection will help fix the additional congestion, easing the accumulation of mucus and phlegm.

Take an expectorant. Expectorants are medicines you can take to clear and loosen up any mucus and phlegm in your respiratory tract. They work by thinning out the mucus so you will be able to easily dislodge it when you cough. Common expectorant medicines are those that contain guaifenesin and bromhexine, so when buying expectorants, be sure to check if these ingredients are present. As with buying any medicine over the counter, be sure to consult with your physician first, just in case you might be subject to complications because of them.

Don't take cough suppressants. Sure, it is pretty annoying when you have a hacking cough every five minutes, causing you to spit out phlegm at pretty much the same rate, but coughing is your body's way of trying to dislodge the phlegm. If you're taking cough suppressants or anything that inhibits your ability to cough, you're essentially allowing the production and build-up of mucus and phlegm in your system since you've basically shut down your body's mechanism to expel them. The sooner you get all the phlegm out of your system, the sooner your coughing will stop, and the sooner you will find relief.

Drink plenty of fluids and liquids. Plenty of liquids and fluids help loosen up any hard, sticky phlegm that is congesting your system. Fluids also help wash down mucus that is regularly deposited on your throat, thereby lessening their chances of building up and coagulating. There are also herbal teas and drinks that help you deal with respiratory problems, and the fewer complications you have, the better your chances of getting rid of respiratory disease effects - mucus and phlegm included.

Spit the phlegm out; don't swallow it. Among the many components that make up phlegm are substances like immunoglobulins and glycoproteins that help your body fight off the infection. When these substances get killed (together with the bacteria and virus they were fighting), they become part of what makes up phlegm. When phlegm gets coughed out, it means that they have served their purpose - remnants and refuse of the battle, so to speak - and are no longer necessary in the proper functioning of the body. They have to be expelled. Therefore, spit them out and don't swallow them back. Aside from the fact that swallowing phlegm is gross and unsanitary, it sometimes gets reintroduced to your pulmonary system, worsening your situation.

There are also home brew remedies you can try that will help in getting rid of your phlegm. Eucalyptus oil mixed with boiling water is a good way to decongest your chest and lessen the abundance of phlegm in your respiratory system. Two to three drops of the oil in boiling water should be enough to do the trick. Hold a towel over your head and deeply breathe in the steam. This will help clear out congested passageways of your respiratory tract, allowing you to spit out the phlegm more easily. Garlic is also said to have expectorant properties, and is considered to be a good supplement for treating congestion.

When your phlegm starts showing up in different colors, it's about time to have yourself checked by a physician. Take a sample of your phlegm for analysis. Different colors usually indicate an underlying condition. Normal phlegm is usually clear and white. Yellow phlegm means that your immune system is functioning properly and is responding to something. Greenish phlegm means that there is definitely an infection in your body. Rusty spots in green phlegm are often an indication of something serious, like internal respiratory micro-bleeding or pneumonia. Brownish phlegm can be a sign of infection, as well as symptoms of too much smoking, as resin is sticking to the phlegm. When this happens, it is always advisable to limit or just stop your smoking habit, as it may be exacerbating whatever respiratory condition you may have.

Read more »

Is whooping cough contagious?

100 days cough or whooping cough (pertussis) is highly contagious and generally affects children, but no less affected adults.

This is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. These bacteria will interfere with the respiratory system, nose, throat, trachea, and lungs. Pertussis is spread through the air by direct contact from splashing saliva or mucus from the patient during coughing. In addition to highly contagious, the disease can also cause serious complications and even deadly, especially in infants.

Symptoms of children suffering from whooping cough, are coughing ending barrage of shrill voices, accompanied by a runny nose and fever. Because the cough occurs repeatedly, the patient may run out of oxygen, consequently face becomes bluish, sometimes convulsions, and even bleeding.

Prevention

Whooping cough can basically attack anyone, if attacked teenagers and adults the disease is not too dangerous, but in infants and toddlers have a lethal risk. Therefore infants under 18 months are advised to be hospitalized to receive supervision.

To cure whooping cough, requiring macrolides class of antibiotics, such as clarithromycin or azithromycin. Drug, is not recommended given. However, because it was feared that severe pertussis cough can cause a child deprived of oxygen (because he had not had time to draw breath between coughing), then the drug should be administered antitussives. To prevent dehydration, patients also need to be given fluids intravenously.

In the course of time, the ability of a vaccine to protect most probably be reduced so that the vaccine needs to be done again. Addition, people with whooping cough need to be isolated to prevent contagious. Although the name cough 100 days, but this does not really fit 100 days, could recover more quickly or cough longer. Therefore the patient should see a doctor expert in the field of Respirology.

Read more »

Is whooping cough easy to contagious?

Yes it's true, Whooping cough is easy to contagious. The bacteria are spread through a salivary fluid that comes out when coughing or sneezing.

These bacteria can also spread from hand to nose when the hand has been in contact with the bacteria. For example, if your child has been infected and you rub their nose with a tissue and wipe your nose the other kids, you have a bacterial infection spread through your hands.
70-100% of people who lived in the same house with the patient will usually be infected with whooping cough.

Whooping cough is a respiratory tract infection (infection of the lungs) which causes attacks of coughing repeatedly. The infection is caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is another name for whooping cough. The disease is particularly serious if there is in infants aged less than 6 months. Babies are usually with whooping cough need to be hospitalized. Children and adults can also suffer from this disease. Usually children and adults affected by whooping cough will not look sick, but they could have a cough for weeks. There are immunizations to prevent whooping cough. Children who have been immunized can still get whooping cough but usually not serious.

Whooping cough is very contagious. Often other family members or others who frequently come into contact with patients are also infected. Whooping cough is highly contagious during 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after the cough begins. If your child is given antibiotics, they can still transmit the infection of the disease until they have been taking antibiotics for five days. Antibiotics should be given to all the people who live in the same house or who make contact with your child while they are in the transmission.

Prevention

Complete immunization of children is the best way to control whooping cough.
Vaccinations given to children ages 2, 4, 6 months, and at the age of 4 years.
All parents with children aged under 8 years should check whether their child's immunization schedule has been on schedule and ask your doctor to immunize children left behind.

Read more »

Croup cough treatment in children

Croup cough treatment is usually conservative. Children should be given enough rest, intake of fluids and nutritious foods. Although croup cough treatment can be done at home, for more serious cases, should be treated by medical personnel.

The first croup cough  treatment is bed rest. A child with respiratory problems like that will experience symptoms such as constant coughing and sneezing. He must be feeling tired. Limit the child from performing activities that are not necessary, is done to save energy and to the recovery process.

Flu symptoms in the early stages such as fever and cough will force the body to consume more oxygen. As the immune system works to fight the disease, cells and tissues that make up this system using more oxygen to make efforts to be added.

A child with Croup Cough  need to drink more fluids. In this disease, there will be an accumulation of mucus in the respiratory tract. As one of the croup cough treatment, the liquid will act as a natural mucolytic to thin and break down the buildup of mucous secretion. After the mucus thinner and too humid, it's easier for people to spit the blockage in the throat. Drink an additional supply of food in body fluids against the microorganisms present in the system.

Another thing that is no less important in the croup cough  treatment is a nutritious food. Foods rich in vitamin C and A are very good, this will strengthen the body's natural immunity. Citrus fruits like oranges and berries are rich in vitamin C. Other fruits such as kiwifruit and papaya are also rich in this vitamin. Foods that have lots of vitamin A such as sweet potatoes and dark green vegetables. Dried apricots and cantaloupe are rich in vitamin A as well.

Other home croup cough treatment like giving the child cold popsicles for a sore throat, letting him inhale moist air and putting him in a comfortable position to ease his breathing are effective too. Just make sure not to use a steam vaporizer as this could risk burning the kid.

For symptom relief, fever, body pain and cough medicines can be given. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen medications can help alleviate the usual low-grade fever a kid with Croup Cough encounters. Paracetamol could be administered for pain as necessary.

Cough Treatment

When it comes to over-the-counter cough drugs, it is not really advisable, as it does not relieve the cough that comes with the condition. If guardians are decided on giving them to the kids as croup cough treatments, they should opt for the non-narcotic kind. Administering narcotic containing antitussives will simply aggravate the difficulty of breathing the child may already be experiencing. This could also ask the level of consciousness of the kid that needs to be observed to ascertain the progression of the Croup Cough.

Moderate cases of this disease will have worse inflammation of the airways. This usually is countered by administering steroids. When the inflammation is severe that it has completely blocked the air passage, the child is immediately rushed to the emergency room to be given epinephrine. The mechanism of action of epinephrine is it dilates the bronchial tubes of the respiratory system.

In addition to knowing the signs and symptoms, it is vital to be aware of the appropriate croup cough treatments for Croup. Considering that the younger population is typically affected here, prompt resolution is very important.

Read more »

Lingering cough after cold

Lingering cough after cold is a cough that occurs more than 2 weeks. The cause of lingering cough is most often obtained is the process of non-specific or due to food allergies. Clinical manifestations in the form of complaints of cough, stuffy nose, without or with accompanying shortness repeated. Complaints tightness usually occurs in people with asthma.

Lingering cough after cold, usually occurs at night and early morning or arise during activities like running, crying or laughing out loud. Usually the complaint is a long recovery, although it has been treated.

Lingering cough after cold has a risk of allergy, especially in children, is already detectable at birth, early birth often seem sneezing, and watery eyes are often cold like respiratory congestion or audible breath sounds. The latter, often mistaken for the cleaning of the airway at birth, less clean, but the cause is the production of excessive fluid in the airways (bronchial hypersecretion).

Breath sounds usually will disappear after the age of 3 months. If your baby has signs and symptoms, the parents should be aware that the child will be at risk for respiratory allergy. Children are at risk often have a cough and colds, especially at the age of 6 to 2 years.

At the age of the larger, usually arising complaint lingering cough. Shown in the child's cough is often small, or sometimes just like clearing his throat. Complaints that happens is intermittent, sometimes without any complaints treatment may be lost themselves. Other complaints can occur after a stubborn cough, acute respiratory tract infections. Such infections usually will heal within 5-7 days.

But in the case of an uncontrolled allergies often not improved more than 2 weeks, even up to several months. Although it has been taking various antibiotics or cough medicines. Coughing will occur at night, or waking in the morning, after the late morning to evening, the complaints usually subside. Coughing will arise when the child is increased activity such as running, laughing out loud, or crying. This lingering cough may be categorized as asthma.

Read more »

Staccato Cough

Staccato cough, cough that does not stop, can be accompanied by dyspnea. In addition to the occurrence of persistent cough can cause rupture of small blood vessels in the cornea with clinical manifestations of hematoma in the sclera.

Other symptomatic form of vomiting, and intra-abdominal pressure also increased intra thorakal. Hernias can also occur due to the influence of pressure there. For adults occur chronic coughing.

Complications that can arise from this pertussis pneumonia (lung infection), otitis media (ear infection), ensefalopathie, until the patient could die.

While coughs are often a sign of illness, the type of cough can help a physician narrow a diagnosis. This is especially true when it comes to pediatrics. In children the specific type of cough the child is suffering matters greatly. This is because both causes and treatments for adult coughs are different from those of children. Additionally, a staccato cough can indicate one kind of disease that a barking cough doesn't.

Read more »

Home remedies for cough for children using honey

Coughing often strikes infants and children. Mother always gave home remedies to relieve coughs, quite simply, is to use honey. When compared with the form of cough syrup commonly sold in the market, or let the toddler coughing at night, honey proved better.

One tablespoon of honey are known to help relieve your child's cough at night and help them sleep more soundly, as published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, December 2007 issue.

Honey is used worldwide as a home remedies for coughing, and is an alternative that is safe and effective for our children as a cough medicine.

There are several reasons honey can be use as home remedies for cough especially for children, quality of sweet honey throat, while the elements of antioxidant honey is also one factor cough. In addition, honey has an antimicrobial effect.

But it should be noted, that honey is not recommended for use as home remedies for infants aged under one year, because of rare but serious risks, which can cause a type of botulism food poisoning. But for children who are larger, in general, honey is quite safe to use. Regarding its use in accordance with the dose of cough medicine recommendations.

Home remedies for cough for children doses.
2-5 years: ½ tsp, 6-11 years: 1 tsp, 12 years and over: 2 tsp.

Read more »

If toddler coughing at night, Beware of asthma!

Do not take for granted if your toddler coughing at night. Do not assume that a normal thing, it could be a symptom of asthma.

Coughing asthma in toddlers has another characteristic, heavier at night or early morning, and when he wakes up. Sometimes, differences in the intensity of coughing, between day and night is very extreme. By day no symptoms of coughing at all, whereas at night coughing so great. In infants and toddlers, this terrific coughing sometimes followed by vomiting containing mucus.

Because not diagnosed as asthma, when the toddlers coughing at night, given a coughing suppressant medicines (antitussives), and the cough becomes more precisely. "Patients with asthma should not be given antitussives, due to suppression of coughing reflex in asthma would prejudice. Cough asthma will subside if given asthma medication.

The majority of allergic asthma based on a factor. Thus, asthma is one form of allergic disease. In family history, usually encountered family members who have asthma, or other forms of allergic diseases like eczema, drug allergies, food allergies. Derived is the talent of allergy, whereas allergy manifestations can be different.

Other triggers are foods such as ice, food and cold drinks, candy, chocolate, instant savory foods with preservatives, MSG, peanuts. Asthma can also be triggered by the flu, fatigue, stress, excessive emotions, weather changes, acute respiratory infections, and the cold.

Asthma is usually triggered by a combination of various precipitating factors.

Asthma is not curable and the drugs that exist today in fact serve only relieve symptoms. However, by controlling your asthma in toddler, through medical consultation, if asthma is still a mild degree. Your toddlers can be free of asthma symptoms that interfere, so that they can live a good life activity.

There should be a paradigm shift of thinking, if found toddlers coughing at night. First, consider the possibility of asthma in the direction, not towards tuberculosis. The diagnosis of asthma if encountered at, among others, coughing in children with asthma would arise if he is exposed to trigger factors.

Read more »