Kennel cough is one of those conditions that is often underestimated in practice. It sounds harmless—"just a cough"—but for many dogs and their owners, it can be an intense, exhausting, and sometimes even frightening experience. Especially when the cough persists, worsens, or recurs repeatedly.

Kennel cough, officially called infectious tracheobronchitis , isn't a single disease with a single cause. It's a combination of multiple bacteria and viruses that irritate and inflame the respiratory tract. The trachea and bronchi become hypersensitive, meaning any stimulus—cold, exertion, excitement—can trigger a new coughing fit.

Which pathogens play a role?

In most cases, Bordetella bronchiseptica is the main bacterial culprit. This bacterium damages the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and makes them more susceptible to other infections. In addition, several viruses can cause or worsen kennel cough, including:

• The canine parainfluenza virus

• Canine adenovirus type 2

• Canine herpesvirus

• Canine influenza virus

It's precisely this combination that makes kennel cough so persistent. Even when one pathogen is addressed, the entire infection can remain dormant as long as the immune system or mucous membranes don't recover sufficiently.

How does kennel cough manifest itself?

It often begins with a dry, harsh cough—as if the dog has something stuck in its throat. As irritation increases, the cough can progress to coughing up thick, sometimes frothy mucus . Some dogs gag violently or appear to be choking during a coughing fit. The cough is deep and sharp, and often comes in fits.

Not every dog ​​becomes visibly ill. Yet, it's precisely those "non-sick" dogs that require attention, because their bodies are already fully compensating.

Vaccination and regular approach

There is a vaccine against kennel cough, but it's not mandatory. It's important to know that this vaccine only protects against a few pathogens . Because kennel cough is a multifactorial disease, we regularly see dogs develop symptoms despite vaccination.

The usual approach often consists of rest, sometimes cough suppressants, and only an antibiotic for complications. However, antibiotics only target bacteria and have no effect on viruses, while they can disrupt the intestinal flora—and thus indirectly the immune system.

Kennel cough isn't the only cough

Not every cough in dogs is kennel cough. In practice, we distinguish between different types of cough, such as:

• Cardiac cough : caused by heart problems, often at night or at rest

• Allergic cough : seasonal or stimulus-dependent

• Chronic bronchitis : long-term inflammation of the airways

• Esophageal or reflux-related cough

• Cough due to worm infections (such as lungworm)

A careful assessment of the overall picture is therefore always essential.

Case study – Topagna

From the naturopathic practice, by Annette de Vogel

Topagna, a 6-year-old medium-sized white shepherd , had been properly vaccinated against kennel cough. However, she developed symptoms—something we regularly see in our practice.

What started as a cough quickly became unstoppable. For over a week, Topagna suffered from severe coughing fits. She coughed up large amounts of mucus, and during some attacks, it felt like she was choking. The cough became deeper, heavier, and clearly exhausting. Every day, it seemed to get progressively worse.

Choosing a herbal approach

Instead of direct suppression, a restorative and regulatory support of the lungs was chosen .

Pulmonary Balance

Pulmonary Balance is a carefully composed herbal tincture that focuses on the heart of the complaint: the lungs and airways.

What makes this formula so beneficial is the combination of plants that strengthen each other:

• Thyme has antibacterial and expectorant properties and soothes coughs and throat irritation.

• Lungwort specifically supports the lung tissue and mucous membranes and is traditionally used for persistent coughs and bronchial complaints.

• Goldenrod helps reduce inflammation and supports the immune system, especially in cases of respiratory irritation.

• Fennel seed has a soothing effect and helps loosen stuck mucus, while also relaxing the body.

• Goldenseal has powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties and supports both the respiratory tract and the intestines — an important aspect of immune recovery.

This combination does not suppress the cough, but it does help the body remove mucus, calm inflammation, and repair the lungs .

In addition, probiotics were recommended, as healthy gut flora plays a crucial role in immune function. The gut-lung axis demonstrates how strongly these systems are interconnected.

Recovery

Within three days, the coughing fits were noticeably less intense and the mucus came off more easily. After a week, the symptoms had completely disappeared.

Because recovery occurred so quickly and naturally, there was no need to use CBG(a) oil, antibiotics or other anti-inflammatories.

Finally

Pulmonary Balance can be used effectively for a wide range of complaints that focus on the lungs: from acute coughs to chronic respiratory problems, allergies, and shortness of breath. It's a great example of how a well-chosen herbal tincture supports the body's self-healing capacity—gentle, effective, and in harmony with the animal.