Did you know that dogs also have coughs like us? In fact, many different animals have a cough because it is a good natural mechanism to relieve or solve respiratory problems.
There are home remedies for my dog's cough that, as a support to the treatment indicated by a veterinarian, can help you relieve him.
If you are interested in knowing the most effective remedies, we recommend that you continue reading this article on our site to discover not only the home remedies, but also the causes and some extra tips to treat it.
What is cough? What does it tell us?
Cough is a reflex of the body in the form of a sudden expulsion of air from the respiratory tract, which seeks to mainly eliminate secretions such as mucus or substances that have been aspirated.
This is a condition that, in many cases, presents as a symptom of respiratory tract infection, heart problems Or just a cold. But it can be due to many different factors such as allergies, bacteria, choking on a bit of water or a piece of food and a long list of other possibilities.
What can I do to help my furry?
As a cough can have different origins and very different from each other, from something very simple to something more serious, the best thing we can do for our furry is to follow a series of recommendations like these:
- First we must make sure if the cough is something punctual and once expelled what bothered the respiratory tract is over, in this case it is good to offer him a little water once he calms down and breathes normally again, or if it is a persistent symptom that tells us that something else is wrong with our dog.
- In the event that it is a recurrent symptom, we should go to our trusted veterinarian to carry out the tests that help identify the origin of the cough and thus be able to indicate the best treatment to follow.
- We must always follow the treatment indicated by the veterinarian. But, without stopping following it and if we also want to consult it with the veterinarian beforehand, we can complement said treatment with homemade and natural remedies, which will always go well as support and help to the immune system of our dog.
- It is important that during the period that we are giving the treatment and some natural remedy to our dog, we reduce physical activity to the minimum necessary for him. It is important to emphasize that the activity should not be completely eliminated, but adjusted to his most basic needs, since we do not want our dog to end up having anxiety and feeling bad. By lowering your level of activity, we will prevent your cough from becoming even more recurrent, your respiratory problems from getting worse, and your exhaustion from becoming excessive. Rest will be very helpful in his recovery
- It is also highly recommended that if we normally use a collar to walk him, we change it to a chest harness that leaves his neck clear.
Home remedies for my dog's cough
There are many natural and easy-to-prepare remedies to relieve cough in our faithful companions, here are some of them:
- Loquat juice: It is a highly recommended remedy by veterinarians. It is one of the best natural remedies due to its high content of vitamin A, which will strengthen the dog's immune system, helping the recovery of the affected mucous membranes. Any other fruit is not worth it, we must think that there are various toxic foods for dogs and therefore it is very important that to treat the cough we give him medlar juice and not other fruits or foods. Offer him the juice to drink in a bowl, as when we offer him water. You should try to get him to drink a glass of this juice a day for several days depending on the rate of his recovery or the days indicated by your veterinarian. If he does not drink it at will, you can choose to use a syringe and give it in small sips as if it were a syrup, trying not to force it so as not to cause vomiting.
- Green leafy vegetables: These vegetables are high in vitamin C which also strengthens the immune system of dogs. This vitamin can be found in green leafy vegetables, but there are also vitamin supplements indicated for veterinary use. It is very important that you establish with your veterinarian what is the daily dose that is best for your dog according to its weight and other possible indicators, since an excess of this vitamin could cause diarrhea.
- Coconut oil: This is another very effective remedy against coughs, since it also strengthens the immune system of dogs, relieving their cough, favoring their energy and vitality, helping them fight heart conditions. You should mix a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil in his usual bowl of water and let him drink it.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is another food supplement that acts as an antiseptic and is highly recommended to relieve coughs in our pets. If your dog likes it, you can sprinkle it on his food
- Mint Tea: A few drops of peppermint tea from a syringe directly into your dog's mouth will help clear the lines respiratory, as this tea has expectorant and decongestant properties.
- Honey: Honey must be natural, unprocessed or with extra content. Just like us, honey helps soothe sore throats in dogs. You can give a small teaspoon every three to five hours. But be careful, you should not overdo giving honey to your furry, as you can cause an upset stomach, nor should you give it if your puppy is less than one year old, since the spores contained in honey can damage your puppy's immune system since it still it is developing.
- Vahos y vapours: Making vapors is highly recommended to alleviate respiratory problems. You can lock yourself in the bathroom and let the hot water run creating steam, always controlling not to overdo it. You can also add a medicinal plant indicated as an expectorant and antitussive that favors the respiratory tract, such as eucalyptus or echinacea. You should always make sure that the medicinal plant you choose is not toxic to dogs. You will have to boil a few leaves to create the steam and once it has just come out of the fire, bring it as close to your dog as possible, very carefully.
You can check the prohibited foods for dogs, the prohibited fruits and vegetables for dogs and the toxic plants for dogs to make sure which ones to choose and which ones not as a home remedy.
