HOMOEOPATHICS can be used for treating coughs in dogs. There can of course be many different causes of cough in a dog. Generally speaking the first thing to do is to take your dog to the vet for a good check up to find the reason for the cough.
Having done that, you may still require the help of a homoeopathic to help clear up the cough altogether. There are a great many homoeopathics to choose from and if you are unfamiliar with Homoeopathic medicine you would be best to seek the advice of, or consult with a trained homoeopath.
Homoeopathics are chosen by matching the actual details of the dog's symptoms with the "symptom picture" of a homoeopathic. Every homoeopathic has its own symptom picture and these are outlined in a vast number of homoeopathic references books. The homoeopath often takes into consideration not just the description of the cough, but also other aspects of the dog such as her personality traits when making her decision about which homoeopathic to use. To give you an idea here are the most common ones used for a cough:
Ant tart - for a moist cough with rattling in the lungs while breathing.
Bryonia - for a hard dry cough which eases when you place a hand firmly over the ribs. The dog will be lying very still as he feels better if motionless.
Dulcamara - for a cough which comes on during very damp conditions or wet, cold weather. The cough may have developed by getting overheated and then chilled. The cough will be worse for exertion.
Ferr phos - if blood is being coughed up. The dog will improve each evening and be just as bad again in the morning.
Spongia - for a spasmodic cough brought on by eating, or exposure to cold air and relieved by drinking water.
Drosera is for a spasmodic cough with a raspy sound to the bark. The cough is worse in the morning.
Hep sulph - for coughs that are long-standing and difficult to get rid of altogether. The dog may have become irritable with the cough.
Pulsatilla - where the symptoms of the cough are variable and made worse by emotional upsets. This suits an affectionate, cuddly dog with a predisposition to jealousy.
Aconite - is for a cough that is activated only by a cold wind or one which starts after exposure to cold wind. It is especially useful in the early stages of a cough.
Nux vom - is used when the cough is associated with stomach upsets.
Rumex - for a cough that sounds as though it's caused by a tickle in the throat.
The following homoeopathics are useful for Kennel cough: Rumex, Aconite, Belladonna, Bryonia, Drosera, Nux vom, Causticum, Arsenicum, Ant tart and Spongia. The first three are all best used at the start of kennel cough - but not altogether. Homoeopathics are best given only one at a time by choosing the one which best fits the case.
Herbs can be used for treating coughs in dogs. I generally use a formula that combines immune herbs and cough herbs when treating coughs in a dog. There are many different immune herbs, but here are a few common ones: Echinacea, Olive leaves, Picorrhiza, Garlic, St John's Wort.
Cough and lung herbs that are useful are as follows: Elecampane, White Horehound, and Mullein - especially where the cough is painful and the mucous sticky and difficult to cough up.
I would normally mix two immune herbs with two or three cough herbs in a liquid formula and prescribe a 5 ml dose once or twice daily for the average size dog.
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