Can Dogs Fall Victim to Colds
Dec 21,2024 | puaintapets
When the weather gets chilly and humans start sniffling, many pet owners wonder: Can dogs get colds too? The answer is yes—dogs can indeed catch colds. While their symptoms may differ slightly from ours, they experience many of the same discomforts, such as a runny nose, sneezing, or lethargy.In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how colds manifest in dogs, what causes them, and how you can help your furry friend recover. We’ll also discuss prevention strategies to keep your dog healthy all year long.
Do Dogs Get Colds?
Yes, dogs can get colds, but it’s important to understand that the viruses causing colds in humans and dogs are different. This means you cannot catch a cold from your dog, nor can your dog catch one from you. However, dogs can contract their own versions of respiratory infections caused by bacteria or viruses.
What Causes Colds in Dogs?
Several viruses and bacteria can cause cold-like symptoms in dogs. Understanding these causes can help you take the necessary precautions to protect your dog.
Common Viruses
- Canine Adenovirus Type 2 (CAV-2): This virus is a common cause of respiratory infections in dogs.
- Canine Parainfluenza Virus: Often associated with kennel cough, this virus can lead to cold-like symptoms.
- Canine Influenza Virus: A more severe respiratory virus that can mimic cold symptoms but requires specific treatment.
Bacterial Infections
Secondary bacterial infections, such as Bordetella bronchiseptica, are common in dogs with weakened immune systems or after exposure to viruses. These infections can worsen cold symptoms and lead to complications.
Environmental Factors
Colds in dogs can also be triggered or exacerbated by environmental conditions, such as:
- Exposure to cold weather or drafts.
- Contact with other sick dogs in settings like shelters, kennels, or dog parks.
- Poor air quality or irritants, such as smoke or strong cleaning chemicals.
Low autoimmunity
- Malnutrition：If a dog's diet is not balanced and lacks essential nutrients such as proteins and vitamins, it will affect the normal functioning of its immune system. For example, if a dog eats only a single dog food for a long period of time and does not consume enough fresh meat, vegetables and other food to supplement its nutrition, the dog's immunity will be lowered and it will be more prone to colds.
- Age factor：The immune system of puppies is not yet perfect, and their resistance to germs is weak, so they are relatively easy to catch a cold. Older dogs have declining body functions and lower immunity, again a high incidence of colds.
Symptoms of Colds in Dogs
I. Respiratory symptoms
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Coughing
This is one of the more common symptoms of colds in dogs. It may be a dry cough, i.e. a cough without phlegm that sounds more crisp, or it may be a wet cough with phlegm and a duller coughing sound. The cough may be occasional or it may come on frequently, such as every few minutes.
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Sneezing
Dogs will sneeze frequently, sometimes several times in a row. Sneezing is a reaction of the body trying to clear foreign objects or germs from the nasal passages.
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Runny nose
What may start out as a clear nasal discharge may become thicker as the cold progresses, and the color may change from colorless to yellow or green. A runny nose can cause your dog to scratch its nose with its paws frequently.
Also Read: Puppy Runny Nose: Cause and Treatment
II. Fever Symptoms
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Elevated body temperature
A normal dog's body temperature is usually between 38℃ - 39℃. With a cold, the dog's temperature may rise to 39.5°C or even higher. You can accurately measure your dog's body temperature by rectal measurement. If you find that your dog's body temperature is abnormally high, it is likely to be caused by a cold or other diseases.
III. Eye Symptoms
The conjunctiva of the dog's eyes will become congested and the eyes will look redder than usual. This is because the inflammatory response triggered by the cold affects the microvessels in the eye.
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Increased Tearfulness and Eye Droppings
Dogs may have constant tearing and a higher accumulation of eye droppings in the corners of the eyes. The nature of the eye droppings may change from a clear discharge to a yellow, sticky substance.
IV. Other Symptoms
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Mental depression
Dogs with colds usually show a lack of energy and are not as active as usual. They may lie down in one place all day, lack interest in things around them, and respond sluggishly to the owner's calls.
The dog may not be interested in food and eat significantly less. Some dogs may even refuse to eat altogether, due to the cold affecting their sense of smell and overall body functions. If your dog’s symptoms persist for more than a few days, or if they develop severe symptoms, it’s crucial to consult a veterinarian to rule out more serious illnesses like kennel cough, canine influenza, or pneumonia.
Precautions
- Dog colds have a different virus than human colds; human colds are not contagious to dogs and vice versa.
- Dog colds should not be treated with human cold medications, as these may be toxic or inappropriate for dogs.
- If your dog is showing symptoms of a cold, you should take him or her to the veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment.
- Understanding these differences when dealing with dog colds is essential to providing proper care and treatment.
How to Treat Dog Colds?
The treatment of dog cold includes the following aspects.
1. Keep warm
After a dog has a cold, it needs to be provided with a warm environment to avoid it continuing to get cold. You can lay a thick blanket or place a warm water bag in the kennel, regulate the indoor temperature, and minimize the dog's frequent entry and exit from indoor and outdoor so as not to bring stimulation to the dog's body with too big a temperature difference.
2. Nutrition
During the cold period, the dog's body is weak and needs to be supplemented with more nutrients in order to recover as soon as possible. You can provide your dog with nutritious food, such as chicken porridge, nutritional cream, etc. You can also add some diced beef or Speed Sense and Woof Meow Amo to the dog food to help maintain the physiological functions during the period and reduce the trouble of colds. In addition, you can also feed your dog some radish and drink some ginger soup and brown sugar tea, which has an auxiliary therapeutic effect.
3. Medication
If the dog's cold symptoms are mild, you can use some pet-specific cold medicines, these medicines can effectively treat colds and fever, with the effect of relieving cough and wheezing, and clearing away heat and toxins. If your dog has obvious inflammation, you can take pet-specific antibiotics, such as amoxicillin clavulanate potassium, as prescribed by your doctor. If it is a viral cold, it may need to be treated with antiviral drugs such as viritin and interferon.
4. Auxiliary treatment
You can let your dog drink plenty of warm water or soup to help metabolism and recovery. Massaging the nose and circumference to invigorate blood circulation will help. Flushing the nasal cavity with running water can clean the secretion and reduce the damage to the nasal cavity.
5. Medical treatment
If your dog's condition continues to worsen, such as a temperature of more than 39.5 degrees or other serious symptoms, it should be sent to a doctor for treatment immediately. If the dog has just been purchased or is not fully vaccinated, you need to consider the possibility of infectious disease infection, and it is recommended that you take your dog to a veterinary hospital for infectious disease screening and diagnosis of the cause of the disease before treating the symptoms.
It should be noted that the dog cold is best not to arbitrarily use human cold medicine, because the dog's body structure is different from that of humans, certain drug components may cause serious harm to the dog, such as containing *** ingredients of human cold medicine, the dog may cause convulsions, convulsions, coma, or even death after taking. Therefore, when giving your dog medication, be sure to consult your vet first to ensure that the medication is safe.
What Supplements Should I Take for My Dog's Cold?
When your dog has a cold, supplementing with the right nutrients can help them recover faster. Here are some suggestions.
1. High quality protein
Protein is an essential nutrient for your dog's body to repair and for the immune system to function properly. You can feed your dog some high-protein foods such as chicken, beef and fish. These foods can help dogs maintain normal physiological functions and enhance resistance.
2. Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins and minerals are also very important for your dog's immune system and overall health. You can feed your dog foods rich in vitamins C, E and B vitamins, such as fresh vegetables (e.g. carrots, broccoli, spinach, etc.) and fruits (e.g. apples, bananas, etc.). In addition, minerals such as zinc and iron also help to improve your dog's immunity.
3. Probiotics
Probiotics can help maintain the micro-ecological balance in your dog's intestinal tract and enhance the function of the digestive system, thus improving the overall immunity. You can feed your dog foods or supplements that contain probiotics.
4. Hydration
Maintaining adequate water intake is important for your dog's recovery during a cold. Encouraging your dog to drink plenty of water will help them flush out toxins from their body and relieve cold symptoms.
5. Nutritional supplements
During a dog's cold, consider feeding them specialized nutritional supplements such as Speed Sense. These supplements usually contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that can help your dog replenish the nutrients lost during a cold and speed up recovery.
It is important to note that when giving your dog supplements, they should be adapted to their specific situation and your veterinarian's recommendations. Also, avoid feeding your dog human cold remedies or other medications that are not suitable for them to avoid adverse reactions. If your dog's cold symptoms continue to worsen or other unusual symptoms appear, you should take them to the veterinarian promptly.
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How to Prevent Colds in Dogs?
There are many ways to prevent your dog from catching a cold, here are some common suggestions.
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Keep the environment dry and warm
When the weather is changeable, pay attention to the dog's heat preservation, blow dry immediately after bathing, do not let the dog get cold, cold is a very important factor to cause cold.
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Increase Exercise
Usually strengthen the dog's exercise, improve the dog's physical fitness, increase non-specific immunity.
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Avoid the source of infection
When there is a flu epidemic, try not to take your dog out and avoid contact with sick dogs.
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Healthy diet
The diet of your dog should be light, do not give it food with a lot of oil and water. Feeding should be regular and quantitative, small meals.
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Kennel sterilization
The dog's kennel must be placed in a warmer place in the house, avoiding the penetrating wind. Usually pay attention to the dog kennel disinfection sterilization sunshine.
In the change of season to the puppy bath times can not be too much, generally 5 to 7 days to wash once can, each bath with hot water is most appropriate, can effectively prevent the puppy cold.
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Comb the pet hair
After bathing, pet owners can also help puppies comb their hair, not only to make puppies look cute, but also to promote skin metabolism.
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Timely vaccination
Owners should remember to take their dogs to vaccination on time, to improve the immunity to some infectious diseases, even though the dogs rarely go out may be infected by viruses, to avoid low resistance to colds accompanied by other diseases. Usually guide the dog to exercise, strengthen the body, to the outdoors more sunshine.
The above suggestions can help you prevent your dog from catching a cold, but if your dog is already showing symptoms of a cold, it is recommended to take it to the veterinarian in time in order to get professional treatment.
When to Call the Vet
While most colds in dogs resolve on their own within 7–10 days, there are certain situations where professional help is necessary. Contact your vet if:
- Symptoms persist or worsen after a week.
- Your dog has difficulty breathing, severe coughing, or thick nasal discharge.
- They refuse to eat or drink, or show signs of dehydration.
- They develop a high fever (above 103°F or 39.4°C).
Related: How to Tell If Dog Has Fever Without Thermometer
FAQs
What are the symptoms of dog flu?
Dogs infected with the flu often develop a cough, which may be dry or wet with phlegm. The frequency of coughing may vary from occasional coughing to frequent and severe coughing, which can be severe enough to interfere with your dog's normal breathing and rest.
Frequent sneezing is one of the common symptoms of flu in dogs. This is a natural reaction of the dog's body trying to clear the nasal passages of viruses or other foreign objects.
Dogs can become lethargic and lack enthusiasm for things they are usually interested in, such as no longer actively playing, being unresponsive to their owner's calls, and preferring to lie down in a corner and rest all day.
Dogs infected with influenza tend to have a poor appetite, are not interested in food, eat significantly less, and in severe cases may even refuse to eat.
Do dogs get clingy when they are sick?
1. May become clingy
When a dog is sick, it may feel unwell, weak or scared. In this situation, the dog tends to seek comfort and protection from its owner, so it can become more clingy than usual. For example, the dog may stay close to its owner, trying to get closer to the owner or lying at the owner's feet, hoping to get more attention and warmth from the owner.
2. May or may not become clingy
Some dogs will choose to hide alone when they are sick because they are too physically uncomfortable. They may find a quiet, secluded corner, such as under a closet or under a bed, and stay by themselves. This may be because dogs are more vulnerable in their sick state and want to find a safe place to rest and avoid being disturbed, or it may be in their nature to tend to hide their state when they are not feeling well.
Can dogs catch colds off people?
Conclusion
Dogs, like humans, can experience colds, but with proper care and attention, most cases are mild and resolve quickly. By recognizing the symptoms, understanding the causes, and taking preventive measures, you can ensure your furry friend stays healthy and comfortable throughout the year. If your dog shows persistent or severe symptoms, don’t hesitate to consult your veterinarian. Your timely action can make all the difference in ensuring a speedy recovery.
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