Kennel cough dog not eating or drinking. When should I see a vet?

If the vomiting occurs at the end of a coughing fit then it is likely to be related to the kennel cough. I know it can be pretty scary, and make them quite poorly too. However, the worse is over in 3 days then things start to look a bit better. Kennel cough has its own course of about a week but can last 10 days or even a bit longer if the immune system is a bit depressed for other reasons.Have you tried to offer small amount of food throughout the day ? Something like Hill’s A/D or RCW recovery that you could mix with water and then just offer lukewarm. It is a diet that is quite rich in energy so he would not need to eat as much as his normal food. The most important thing in the acute phase, the first 3-4 days from when its starts, is supportive care. Make sure Peanut rests, encourage him to eat a palatable diet, keep comfortable, warm but not too hot. If you are worried, that he is vomiting all the time, he is too lethargic, have him checked over, better to be safer than sorry.

Congrats on your new dog, but I'm sorry Willow is sick! Kennel cough doesn't have a cure, the medications are used to lessen the severity of the symptoms, but it sounds like the disease is getting a bit worse. I would rest her tonight, keep her in a well humidified area, and use a harness instead of a collar when you take her out to potty to minimize coughing. You can also try bringing her into the bathroom with you when you shower as the steam may help with her congestion. Try gently warming up really smelly wet food to tempt her to eat. Dogs won't eat if they can't smell their food, so gently warming it may entice her to eat. I would have her seen by a vet again in the morning since her symptoms have become more severe. The vet may prescribe additional medications to help with them. Good luck, I hope this helps!

I would recommend that you have your puppy re-evaluated by a veterinarian. Kennel cough does not usually cause this severe of a depression. It can, however, turn into pneumonia and should be treated very seriously. There are no human OTC cough suppressants that are safe to use in his situation since we don't know exactly what is going on. Warm water with honey and lemon is safe, and may soothe a simple cough.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Vega! If she is acting normal and eating you just may need to give the medications some time to work. You can add water to her food to increase water intake. Also if she eats canned food that has more water in it. Kennel cough can take 2 weeks to resolve. Just watch for loss of appetite, lethargy, yellow or green nasal discharge or a change in cough (more moist) that may indicate pneumonia. I hope this helps and I wish Vega a speedy recovery!

Kennel cough typically resolves with or without treatment in 7-14 days. The cough may linger though. Warm her food or add a teaspoon or two of baby food to stimulate her appetite. Offer a 50/50 solution of water and unflavored PediaLyte until she is eating regularly.

Sometimes dogs with kennel cough, particularly with severe cases, do not want to eat because of the trouble they are having breathing. They need to concentrate on breathing rather than taking in food, and don't want to accidentally inhale anything. Sometimes the best way to combat this is with cough suppressants such as hydrocodone syrup, or something like Robitussin tablets. I don't typically associated dullness and being thin with kennel cough, so it is entirely possible that there could be something else going on entirely. If matters do not get better in the next day or two, I would take her back into the veterinarian for reassessment.

Congratulations on adding Bailey to your family! With all things considered: being post-op, developing a cough and not eating well....I think having her seen would be a good idea. Since she can't talk and tell you how she feels, it's best to be safe. The doctor will check her over for any signs of complication from the surgery, make sure she doesn't look dehydrated and give her a general once over. I hope she's on the path to recovery quickly! At home you may try feeding her a boiled chicken breast and boiled white rice with extra warm water added. This may help to encourage her appetite until she is feeling better. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction. Please feel free to post any further questions!