The most notable sign of a dog with kennel cough is a persistent cough. The dog will cough continuously with a distinctive “goose honk” sound. Many time this is the only sign in the dog, with it appearing healthy otherwise. However, this cough lingers on for weeks and some dogs will also show other signs such as:  Gagging or coughing up a white foamy phlegm Fever Discharge from the nose Watery eyes Decreased appetite Occasionally, kennel cough can make a dog susceptible to developing pneumonia. This will make a dog experience more severe symptoms, including lethargy, difficulty breathing and, even in a few cases, death. It's important to limit the risk of spreading the disease, even if you are not sure if your dog actually has it. This is the responsible thing to do.  Keep your dog away from dog parks or facilities that care for dogs, such as doggie day cares and boarding facilities, until your vet has cleared your dog's health. Pick up your dog's feces. You should probably do this whether your dog is infected or not but infected feces cause a health hazard. An uninfected dog having contact with infected feces is one way that the infection can spread. Kennel cough generally will run its course in 1 to 3 weeks with no treatment needed. However, some owners are annoyed by the constant coughing, so drugs to suppress the cough and reduce windpipe inflammation can be given through a prescription from a veterinarian.  In more severe cases, antibiotics which are effective against Bordetella can be given. A dog which is actively coughing should not do any heavy exercise such as running, as this will aggravate the cough. Food and water intake should be monitored and encouraged to make sure the dog keeps eating and drinking. Collars used during leash walking may press against the dog’s windpipe causing severe irritation. Using a harness instead will help prevent this from happening.
Look for the symptoms of kennel cough. Keep an eye out for symptoms of an even more severe infection. Keep a dog with possible infection away from other dogs. Follow your veterinarian's suggestions for treatment and care.