A Question for Dr. Smith
Is it ok to use some elderberry juice tonic to help soothe my dogs cough? He suddenly developed symptoms similar to kennel cough and bronchitis about three weeks ago now. He also has a slightly narrowed trachea. We have tried everything the regular vets suggest..three courses of antibiotics, two sets of x-rays, one course of prednisone and then a maintenance dose of temaril P. torbutrol for cough and when that didn’t relieve the symptoms, we went to hydrocodone syrup which only controls the coughing to a degree. He is an older dog – 15 and a half years old.
We are concerned that he is becoming exhausted from the coughing. Although usually he still eats ok.
I have also started adding a tiny bit of peppermint and licorice root tea with a small amount of honey in a syringe by mouth to soothe him in between cough syrup treatments since we can only give the cough syrup every 12 hours.
I read that the elderberry juice could be beneficial in helping a dog with this problem…I want to make sure it is not toxic to him before I use it.. he weights a bit over 14 lbs. What would be the dosage if I can use it? Thank you.
Dr. Smith’s Reply
Elderberry juice should not be toxic from a commercial source. Chronic cough in older dogs can be tough to handle. I would start with one teaspoon 3-4 times per day. Hope this helps!
More Powerful Tools for Overcoming Dog Respiratory and Allergy Challenges
There are many quick and easy changes you can make at home to help you give your dog an edge on easing allergy challenges.
- Learn more about dog allergies.
- Switch to a Limited Ingredient Diet. PET | TAO Limited Ingredient Canned Formula is naturally low in ingredients that stimulate an allergic response.
- Supplement with medicinal mushrooms. PET | TAO Complement Immune Supplement is a mushroom blend which eases inflammatory response and ease allergy symptoms.
- Try digestive enzymes and probiotics. PET | TAO Harmonize GI Supplement boosts gut health and combats food allergens.
- Feed PET | TAO Freeze Dried Pork Lung Treats. According to TCVM, Lung is on the same meridian as the skin. Therefore, lung treats help both breathing and skin allergies. Lung treats support lung and skin similar to a glandular supplement in a “like treats like” fashion.
- Learn more about TCVM Herbal Remedies. Chinese medicine offers many amazing natural solutions for dog allergies Some good examples are:
