Kennel cough is a common issue that affects dogs, and although it is not normally dangerous, it is contagious. It can easily spread between dogs, and once your pet contracts it, the condition can cause a lot of discomforts. This is naturally something that you want to avoid, as we all want to ensure our dogs have happy, healthy lives.
It is also important to remember that kennel cough can turn into something more serious in vulnerable dogs such as puppies, those with low immunity, and elderly pets. If you think your dog has kennel cough, it is important to seek veterinary assistance to get treatment if required and to get your pet checked over.
Remember, sometimes other issues can show some of the symptoms of kennel cough such as seasonal allergies, so you also want to be sure that your pet does have kennel cough and it is not another issue. Of course, the best thing you can do for your pet is helping to prevent kennel cough in the first place, and in this article, we will provide some tips on how you can do this.
Some Tips to Help
There are a number of steps that you can take in order to help prevent kennel cough in your pet. Some of the main ones are:
Look Out for Other Affected Dogs
One of the things that you need to do is to look out for other potentially affected dogs. As mentioned earlier, kennel cough is contagious, and if your pet mixes with other dogs that have the condition, it could lead to your pooch quickly contracting it as well. So, to reduce the risk of this happening, look out for symptoms of kennel cough in other dogs that your pet might be mixing with.
Limit Exposure to Other Dogs
Another thing that you should do is limit exposure to other dogs that you are unfamiliar with. Of course, there may be times when your pet does need to mix with unknown dogs such as if you use doggy day-care facilities or when they are out exercising at the park.
However, just be mindful of where and when your dog is mixing with groups of other dogs, as this can heighten the risk of catching diseases and illnesses from one another.
Keep an Eye Out for Symptoms
Of course, you need to ensure you look out for symptoms that could be kennel cough, as this will enable you to contact a vet and determine what the issue is. While this is not a preventative measure, it does mean that you can get the treatment that will reduce the severity of the issue and can aid in a speedier recovery.
In addition, you can consider vaccinations for your pet – the vaccination does not eliminate the risk of getting kennel cough, but it can reduce the symptoms if your pet does get kennel cough.
These are some of the steps that you can take if you want to protect your dog.
Why Kennel Cough Needs to Be Addressed Quickly
While taking steps to try and reduce the risk of kennel cough can be helpful, there are no guarantees that your pet will not get it. If this does happen, you need to make sure that it is addressed as soon as possible.
There are many reasons why kennel cough in dogs needs to be addressed as soon as possible, and why you need to be aware of the symptoms so you can take action accordingly. One of the reasons is the fact that this disease spreads so quickly among dogs, and this means that more pets will be at risk.
In fact, some more vulnerable pets could be a serious health issue. This is one of the reasons why you need to ensure your pet is isolated from others if you believe it has a kennel cough. In addition, it is important to seek treatment as quickly as possible as well as get confirmation that your pet does have kennel cough.
Another reason kennel cough needs to be addressed as quickly as possible is that it can cause so much discomfort and stress for your pet. This illness comes with a wide range of unpleasant symptoms, and the sooner it is dealt with and treatment administered, the more quickly your dog can get over it.
As mentioned above, some dogs are more vulnerable to kennel cough than others, so getting speedy treatment is essential to reduce the risk of serious issues.
Getting speedy treatment for your pet can make all the difference to your pet, your home, and to other dogs that your pet might mix with.
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