My young BC (16 months) has started coughing today...sounds to me like kennel cough :( First thought was to get him to the vets tomorrow but after thinking about it...does he need antibiotics or not?? After reading that it's a virus do antibiotics even make any difference? My lab has had it before ( a few years ago ) and the vet gave both him and our Goldie antibiotics, which we gave but it still seemed to go on for ages! I have given him some manuka honey and someone has recommended benylin...anything else I can do to ease his symptoms?

We had kennel cough this year, went on for weeks as it started with one dog and then spread. I started with Benylin but it made no difference whatsoever and after about a week of coughing (and throwing up mucus) called the vet -did not go in due to not wanting to infect more dogs. The vet prescribed antibiotics and then as each dog started to cough we just went and collected more. It has to be said that once put onto antibiotics they recovered a LOT quicker. Noticed a difference within 24 hours.

Similar to Goldmali.  I have 21 dogs, and after one started coughing, 3 started the next day, 4 the next.  It was getting ridiculous.  In the end the vet gave me sufficient antibiotics to dose the lot, and I would do the same again.  Some of them were heaving where the cough was so bad.  The vet was concerned that a tiny, tiny adult Chi would be hit by pneumonia if not treated.  Sods law she sailed through, yet my Beardie was particularly bad.

Thank you both :) will make an appointment to get both dogs some antibiotics tomorrow. My lab has now started coughing so at least we are getting it over and done with in one go!!! :/ Typically brilliant timing as I had some good walks planned for them while on Xmas break from work!! How long should they be kept confined to home once they stop coughing?

When my girl had it last year I had antibiotics for her, my friend who's dogs also got it her vet told her to just give tixilix children's cough meds. Her dogs got it this year and one was realy bad throwing up with it and she had a litter of pups so got antibiotics. My vet did say the antibiotics helps clear it up quicker.
Both me and friend were told by our vets not to it out untill 7-10 days after the last cough.

Thank you :) both dogs have been to the vets tonight, confirmed as kennel cough :( Vet said at least 10 days of no walking and got to keep them quiet (not sure how to explain that to a 16 month old BC lol). They have had 2 different jabs (amoxicillin and carprieve) plus carprieve tablets to start tomorrow. Bc is very very quiet tonight so watching him and hoping its just the injections making him sleepy :/