Late Summer Kennel Cough and Respiratory Health
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Time to read 9 min
August is the busiest month of the year for boarding kennels, dog daycares, and doggy hotel services across the UK. While your dog is socialising with more canine company than usual, or while you are walking them in parks that are busier than they have been all year, there is something else in the air alongside the summer heat: highly contagious respiratory bugs.
Infectious tracheobronchitis, better known as kennel cough, spikes every year during and after the summer holiday period. It spreads fast, it travels easily through the air and on shared surfaces, and it is genuinely miserable for a dog to have, even when it is not serious.
Here is what it actually is, how your dog might catch it, and what you can do about it.
What Is Kennel Cough?
The name kennel cough is a little misleading. It suggests the illness can only be caught in a kennel. In fact, any dog that comes into close contact with an infected dog can pick it up, whether that is at the park, at a training class, on a beach walk, or in a car park where another dog has recently been.
Kennel cough is not caused by a single bug. It is usually a combination of bacteria and viruses working together to infect the upper respiratory tract. The most common bacterial cause is Bordetella bronchiseptica. This often works alongside viruses like canine parainfluenza virus and canine adenovirus. When these combine, they irritate the lining of the airway and cause the characteristic cough.
The cough itself is the most distinctive sign. It sounds like a dry, harsh, repeated honk, often described as a goose honk. Some dogs also produce a retching motion at the end of the cough, which can look alarming but is usually just the throat trying to clear. The cough tends to be worse after exercise, after drinking, or when the dog pulls on the lead.
Other signs can include a runny nose, mild lethargy, sneezing, and a slight reduction in appetite. In healthy adult dogs, kennel cough is usually self-limiting and clears up on its own within two to three weeks. In puppies, senior dogs, or dogs with existing health conditions, it can progress to something more serious, including pneumonia, which is why those groups need prompt veterinary attention if they develop a cough.
Is My Dog Vaccinated Against It?
There is a vaccine for Bordetella bronchiseptica, and many kennels require it before boarding. But the kennel cough vaccine does not protect against all the strains and viral components that can cause the illness. Think of it like the flu jab in humans: it reduces risk and severity, but it does not make infection impossible.
"A vaccinated dog can still catch kennel cough."
A vaccinated dog can still catch kennel cough. The vaccine typically makes the illness milder and shorter if it does occur, but owners sometimes assume vaccination means immunity and are then surprised when their dog develops the cough. It is worth knowing the signs regardless of your dog's vaccination status.
How It Spreads
Kennel cough spreads through:
Direct nose-to-nose contact with an infected dog
Sharing water bowls, toys, or bedding
Droplets in the air when an infected dog coughs or sneezes nearby
Touching surfaces that an infected dog has coughed near and then touching your own dog
The incubation period is typically two to fourteen days, which means a dog can be exposed and not show symptoms for up to two weeks. This makes it very hard to trace where exactly the infection came from.
If your dog has been in a kennel, a daycare, or a very busy social environment and develops a cough one to two weeks later, kennel cough is the likely culprit.
Prevention Through Immunity
You cannot fully prevent your dog from ever being exposed to kennel cough. But you can influence how their body responds when it is.
A dog with a strong, well-supported immune system is better placed to fight off respiratory infections quickly, experience milder symptoms, and recover faster. The immune system's ability to respond effectively depends on several things: the health of the gut microbiome (where a large part of the immune system actually lives), the availability of antioxidants to support cells under stress, and the overall inflammatory balance of the body.
This is where consistent daily supplementation during the peak risk period makes a practical difference.
Super Shrooms
Our Super Shrooms powder is a five-mushroom blend containing Maitake, Reishi, Turkey Tail, Shiitake, and Chaga. Each mushroom contributes to immune resilience through a different but complementary mechanism.
Turkey Tail is one of the most studied mushrooms in the world for its effects on immune function. It acts as a prebiotic in the gut, feeding the beneficial bacteria that support the immune system's day-to-day performance. Because a very large proportion of the immune system is housed in the gut, a healthier gut microbiome translates directly into a more capable immune response when a respiratory bug arrives.
Reishi is an adaptogen. This means it helps the body manage stress more effectively, and importantly, it supports immune balance. Rather than simply pushing the immune system harder, Reishi helps it respond in a more accurate, calibrated way. For a dog exposed to multiple pathogens in a busy social environment, a well-regulated immune response is more useful than an overactive or underactive one.
Chaga is exceptionally high in antioxidants, which help protect cells from the oxidative stress that builds up when the body is fighting an infection. This reduces some of the cellular strain that makes illness feel so draining, and supports faster recovery.
Maitake activates natural killer cells and macrophages, the immune system's frontline cells that respond first when a foreign pathogen is detected. Getting these cells to respond quickly and effectively is one of the key factors in whether a mild exposure becomes a full illness or gets cleared before symptoms take hold.
Super Shrooms works best with consistent daily use over time rather than as a one-off dose. Starting it well before the peak boarding and holiday period means your dog's immune system is in the best possible shape when exposure risk is at its highest.
Soothing a Dog With Kennel Cough
If your dog has already developed the cough, here is how to help them through it comfortably.
Rest the airways. Exercise makes the cough worse. Keep activity gentle and low-key while your dog is unwell. Avoid anything that causes them to pull on the lead, as collar pressure on an already-irritated throat can trigger coughing fits. A harness is a kinder choice during recovery.
Keep the air moist. Dry air can irritate an inflamed throat further. Running a humidifier in the room where your dog rests, or taking them into a steamy bathroom for ten to fifteen minutes a day, can help soothe the airways. Many owners find this reduces the frequency of coughing fits significantly.
Switch to softer food. Dry kibble requires more swallowing effort and can tickle an inflamed throat. During the worst days of the illness, softening their food with warm water, or switching temporarily to wet food, is kinder on the airways. A warm food makes it more palatable for dogs whose appetite has reduced.
Keep water fresh and easily accessible. Hydration is important during any illness. Some dogs drink less when their throat is sore, so making water as appealing as possible helps. Offering water in a flat, wide bowl rather than a deep narrow one reduces the stretching of the throat that can trigger coughing.
Watch for signs that warrant a vet visit. In healthy adult dogs, kennel cough is usually manageable at home. But contact your vet promptly if your dog develops a fever, stops eating for more than 24 hours, seems significantly lethargic, has laboured or rapid breathing, or produces a wet or productive-sounding cough rather than the dry honking sound. These can be signs of a secondary infection or the early signs of pneumonia, both of which need treatment.
Goats Milk Powder: Easy Nutrition When Appetite Drops
One of the most practical challenges with kennel cough is that some dogs lose their appetite during the worst of it. A sore, irritated throat makes eating less appealing, and a dog that is not eating well will take longer to recover.
Goats Milk Powder is a gentle, easy way to get comforting nutrition into a dog that is reluctant to eat normally.
Made from 100% whole goats milk, it is simply mixed with warm water to make a drink that most dogs find irresistible even when they are off their food. Goats milk is naturally easier to digest than cow's milk, contains 27% protein and 25% fat, and is rich in bioactive compounds that support the immune system and have natural anti-inflammatory properties.
The warmth of the drink is soothing for an irritated throat, and the high palatability means you can use it to encourage a dog to take water and nutrition together when they might refuse both separately. It can also be mixed with softened food to make meals more appealing during recovery.
It is suitable for dogs of all ages including puppies and seniors, and is low in lactose, making it well tolerated by most dogs, including those that sometimes react to dairy.
"The warmth of the drink is soothing for an irritated throat, and the high palatability means you can use it to encourage a dog to take water and nutrition together when they might refuse both separately."
It can also be mixed with softened food to make meals more appealing during recovery.
It is suitable for dogs of all ages including puppies and seniors, and is low in lactose, making it well tolerated by most dogs, including those that sometimes react to dairy.
A Practical August Respiratory Health Plan
Before the boarding or holiday period:
Book the kennel cough vaccine at least a week in advance if your dog is not already up to date
Start Super Shrooms daily to build immune resilience ahead of peak exposure season
Avoid sharing water bowls with unfamiliar dogs in public places
If your dog develops a cough:
Keep them away from other dogs until the cough has fully resolved (typically two to three weeks)
Rest, soft food, and warm water
Offer Goats Milk Powder made up warm to maintain nutrition and hydration
Phone your vet if symptoms are more severe or if they are not improving after a week
After recovery:
Continue Super Shrooms daily for ongoing immune support
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Disinfect water bowls, bedding, and any toys the dog used during illness
The Bottom Line
Kennel cough is one of those illnesses that is easy to dismiss because it sounds worse than it usually is. That honking cough is alarming, but in a healthy adult dog it is typically self-limiting and manageable at home.
What makes the difference is preparation. Dogs with well-supported immune systems tend to experience milder symptoms and recover more quickly. And when the illness does arrive, knowing what to do in the first few days, rest, warmth, soft food, and good hydration, makes the recovery period much more comfortable.
You cannot always protect your dog from what is in the air. But you can make sure their body is ready for it.
What does kennel cough sound like in dogs?
Kennel cough produces a harsh, dry, repeated cough that many people describe as sounding like a honking goose. It is often followed by a retching motion. The cough tends to be worse after exercise, after drinking, or when the dog pulls on a lead. It is distinctive once you have heard it.
Can my dog catch kennel cough even if they have never been in a kennel?
Yes. Any dog that comes close to an infected dog can catch it, whether in a park, at a training class, in a car park, or on a walk. The name kennel cough reflects where outbreaks are most common, not the only place it is caught.
How long does kennel cough last?
In healthy adult dogs, most cases resolve within two to three weeks with rest and supportive care. Puppies, senior dogs, and dogs with existing health conditions may take longer or require veterinary treatment to avoid complications.
Should I take my dog to the vet for kennel cough?
For mild cases in healthy adult dogs, a phone call to your vet to describe the symptoms and confirm the likely diagnosis is a reasonable first step. A visit is needed if your dog has a fever, is not eating for more than 24 hours, seems very unwell, is breathing with difficulty, or if the cough sounds wet or productive rather than dry.
When can my dog go back to mixing with other dogs after kennel cough?
Most vets recommend keeping an infected dog away from others for at least two weeks from the start of symptoms, or until the cough has fully cleared, whichever is longer. Check with your vet for guidance specific to your dog's situation.
Is Goats Milk Powder safe for dogs with sensitive stomachs?
Yes. Goats milk is naturally lower in lactose than cow's milk and is generally well tolerated by dogs including those with some dairy sensitivity. It is suitable for all ages including puppies and seniors.
