can-dogs-catch-a-cold[/caption]Sick as a Dog: Can Dogs Get Colds?
Does your dog have the sniffles? Watery eyes? Is he sneezing and coughing? Can dogs catch colds? Yes, they can, and the symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the type of cold virus he’s caught (just as human colds can vary in severity). How do you know when your dog has a cold or something worse? How do you treat his symptoms? Not to worry — we’ll give you everything you need to know about dogs and colds so you can be sure you’re taking good care of your precious pup.
Can Dogs Catch Colds from Humans?
It’s a fairly common misconception that dogs and other pets can catch colds from humans. Although your dog’s symptoms may mimic yours when you have a cold, the viruses are different and don’t cross between species. So if you’re both sick at the same time, rest assured — it’s just an unfortunate coincidence.
What dog cold Symptoms Should You Look For?
What are dog colds symptoms? Like we said above, a dog’s cold symptoms can be very similar to human symptoms — a runny or stuffed up nose, watery eyes, sneezing and coughing. He may be more lethargic and not eat as much as usual. But it’s important to distinguish a cold from other dog illnesses that could be more severe. The following video has some important tips on how you can tell when your dog is sick.
Other Conditions To Rule Out
If you’re worried that your dog has something other than a common canine cold, here are some other illnesses and conditions that can cause similar symptoms.
- Kennel Cough – an infectious virus that causes a cough with a loud honking sound, usually transmitted by dogs in a kennel environment – learn more about Kennel Cough
- Influenza Virus – cold-like symptoms but typically with a fever – learn more about canine flu
- Allergies – allergies to environmental conditions or food products are just as common in dogs as in humans – learn more about allergy symptoms
- Parasites – a number of different parasites can get into a dog’s lungs and trachea and cause chronic coughing
When To Call Your Veterinarian?
If your dog is a young puppy or an old dog, his immune system may not be up to par so it’s best to check with your vet if he’s showing cold-like symptoms. If your otherwise robust dog exhibits severe symptoms, or is lethargic for more than a few days, contact your vet to make sure he hasn’t developed an infection that could require antibiotics or other treatment. And if your pup is experiencing vomiting and diarrhea along with cold-like symptoms, it could be an indication of a more severe illness.
How Should You Treat Your Dog’s Cold?
We all hate to see our pups suffer. Consider some of the following home remedies that can help alleviate cold symptoms.
Inhale Steam
Run a hot bath or shower so that steam builds up in your bathroom or use a common vaporizer in the room where your dog sleeps. Just as with humans, steam can help clear up his nasal passages.
Drink Fluids and Be Sure He Eats
Make sure your pup is drinking plenty of water and give him some good old chicken noodle soup. Any kind of soup is good for dogs with colds. Keep him hydrated!
Get Rest
It’s probably not a good idea to take your pup on long walks until his symptoms improve, although he may not feel good enough to go walking anyway. Also, try to restrict play time for very active dogs (easier said than done, we know!).
Try Herbal Remedies
Herbs that are vitamin C rich help boost your dog’s immune system. Safe herbal remedies for dogs include eucalyptus, elderberry extract or flowers, colloidal silver and mullein flowers. Check with a holistic veterinarian to make sure you’re giving your dog the appropriate amounts of herbs and for tips on how to administer them.
How to Stave Off the Sniffles?
As the old saying goes, “prevention is the best medicine.” The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends dogs get vaccinated every year with the “5-in-1” vaccine that protects him from distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and parainfluenza. While this won’t completely protect him from the common doggie cold, it does protect him from more severe illnesses that share some of the same symptoms — and it helps boost his overall immune system. If your dog is sick and you’re still not sure if he has a cold or something else, err on the side of caution. Your veterinarian is the best judge.
How can you tell when your dog has a cold?
Can My Dog 'Catch' a Cold?
Winter isn’t the only time of year we have to worry about "catching" a cold, but it is the primary time for it. We’re spending more time in closed quarters, with windows and doors shut tight and no way to escape the germs. It is only a matter of time before someone in the house becomes sick. It could be you, but did you know that it could also be your dog that comes down with this common respiratory infection?
While there are differences in the types of viruses that infect humans versus dogs, the symptoms are basically the same: sneezing, coughing, runny or stuffy nose, watery eyes. What can you do to protect your dog from catching cold, or if your dog does come down with a case of the cold, what can you do to treat it?
Different Germs, Different Viruses
As mentioned above, the type of cold a dog suffers from is different from the type a human suffers from. The illness is not communicable between species — at least, one has not yet been discovered — so there is no need to worry about catching your dog’s cold, or vice versa.
You will need to differentiate a common cold from a more serious health issue. For example, a common cause of dry cough is a condition known as "kennel cough." This contagious type of cough, as its name suggests, is typically contracted through a kennel or boarding facility. This cough is most easily recognized by its characteristic honking sound. If your dog has recently been boarded or has had contact with a dog that has been boarded recently, this will need to be considered, and will need to be treated by a veterinarian.
There are other highly contagious, cold-like illnesses to be familiar with, as well. The influenza virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, and tuberculosis are all illnesses that can be transmitted by infected dogs.
Another potentially life-endangering viral illness is canine distemper. A dog exhibiting symptoms of distemper will usually have coughing, vomiting, high fever, and a thick discharge from the eyes and nose.
When a Cold is Not a Germ or a Virus
There are several types of parasites that can get into the lungs, heart and trachea, and which can also cause symptoms that mimic a cold infection. Coughing and other breathing problems are the main symptoms. Fungal infections are also commonly found in dogs, and can sometimes lead to life threatening conditions, when the fungal parasite sets up house in the lungs, causing ongoing, repetitive coughing, scarring of the lung tissue, and eventually, in some cases, pneumonia.
More difficult to distinguish in many instances, but just as common in animals as in humans, are allergies to environmental triggers and/or food products. An undiagnosed asthma or allergies that trigger respiratory symptoms can also bring on coughing and sneezing fits in dogs.
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