Knowing about one of the infections that our pets can have is extremely important to keep them in good health and spend more time with them, the cold in dogs is one of them and it has some symptoms that will lead us to seek a treatment to cure it. This article will explain everything related to this infection.
cold symptoms in dogs
A cold, although it is not a dangerous infection in itself, can be complicated if the dog is not given the necessary care, it can be caused by a virus, because the dog got wet, was not dried correctly and received cold, among other causes more than will be explained above. In any case, this can affect the animal for a week or more if it is not detected in time and treated correctly. To detect it, you can observe if the dog has the following symptoms:
- frequent sneezing
- Loss of appetite
- Discomfort (seen when he is down or shows that he does not have much strength)
- Stuffy and runny nose (and when the fluid they expel is very thin or green or yellow in color)
- Cough (the most common symptom)
- Crying eyes
The dog can have these symptoms throughout the cold and it can last a week or two if no treatment is applied, it can even be longer depending on the severity of the infection and the dog's system. We speak of the severity of the cold because in some it may be noted that it is difficult for them to breathe or that they whistle when they inhale or exhale. It is necessary to always pay attention to their behavior to detect these symptoms and rule out if it is a fever, a respiratory problem or a cold really.
Another symptom that can be observed in dogs is fever, just like a discomfort in humans they feel the same but sometimes it is not easy to detect with the naked eye. Still they look a bit more downcast, just like in the fever in dogs their behavior changes a bit, it can be seen that they walk slower, do not bark or even have their heads down.
Causes
A dog can get a cold when they are exposed to the cold for too long, in some cases when the weather is cold they can naturally catch a cold if they do not have a place to keep them warm, but it usually happens that they get wet (in the rain or after a bath ), they do not dry properly and when exposed to low temperatures they catch cold quickly. Another cause can be a virus that they contracted from bacteria on a surface that they touch or that another dog infects them with, these can be “adenovirus 2” or “parainfluenza”.
These same reasons can cause a fever, distemper or any other respiratory complication, so confusing one with another could harm the dog. It is recommended to observe it and when you show signs of having any symptoms or discomfort, take it to the veterinarian. It is important to point out that leaving the dog in the street favors their illness. Even if they return home, it is necessary to observe what they eat, if they touch dirty surfaces and which dogs they approach.
Treatment
Now to know what to give a dog with a cold You should go to the vet or at least know about medications that are manufactured to combat this type of infection. Colds that are mild can be cured without human intervention other than keeping the dog warm and feeding it well, however, other care can be applied to prevent health complications.
First of all, the dog should be kept warm and very dry because they are weaker and continuing to get cold can complicate them, so placing warm blankets on their bed and keeping their fur and paws dry is essential. Secondly, it is not recommended that they be agitated by long walks, a lot of exercise or too much play time, that is, they can engage in passive activities but long walks or going out when the weather is not warm should be avoided.
Rest is necessary, the third point of care is to make sure you get enough rest so you can feel better as the day goes by. This goes hand in hand with the previous paragraph that indicates that their hours of play and walking should be reduced, these activities consume their energy.
Fourth, your diet should include vitamin C and plenty of water. Vitamin C will allow your defenses to rise and water to give you the rest of the minerals you need to replenish the energy that the cold has taken away. It is possible that his appetite decreases and he does not want to drink water or eat all his food, so it is necessary to offer him foods such as chicken broth or dishes with a lot of vitamins. Honey is an ingredient that should be given in case you have a lot of cough.
Fifth, it should be kept in a warm and quiet place so that it can rest properly. Likewise, infections are prevented if in addition to that it is kept away from other dogs (if they have more dogs at home). Avoid being in places with dirt, dust or smoke (from cars, cigarettes or tobacco) so as not to complicate your situation and cause a respiratory problem.
If the cold is more serious, consultation with the veterinarian is necessary since they can prescribe a medication that has antibiotics or painkillers (if you have difficulty breathing or cough very frequently), self-medication is not recommended. Only veterinarians will be able to prescribe a syrup or medicine that works for the animal knowing that they do not work for everyone equally, some may have components that cause allergy in dogs.
With all these cares it is possible that the dog will be in good condition after a week, even so the animal should not be neglected until it is completely cured because it can relapse if it is exposed to the cold again. Likewise, do not neglect your meals so that you maintain high defenses all the time and can repel other types of bacteria.
How much is a consultation with the veterinarian necessary?
It is recommended to go to the veterinarian when the first change in behavior is observed in the dog, this to identify the type of infection it has and to know if the care mentioned above will be the ones that should be applied. This is because the same care is not taken when it comes to a fever or a respiratory problem. Likewise, when the cold is already over a week and there has been no improvement in its condition, it is recommended to go back to the clinic to find out what is happening.
When the dog is already two or more weeks old, it is extremely necessary to go to the doctor, when the nasal secretion is not only very liquid mucus but blood, when it does not want to eat or drink liquids by any means or when many breathing problems are observed ( a whistling sound when you inhale and exhale).
It is also recommended to visit the veterinarian when the dog is a puppy or if the dog is very old, because its immune system is not the same as that of a young dog in good health.
It is important to know that dogs they cannot give a person their cold they can easily infect other dogs but not humans. This is because the bacteria and viruses are different from those that affect humans and cause this type of condition.
How to prevent cold in dogs?
Since the causes of colds in dogs are known and it was highlighted that they can cause other diseases, what should be sought is to prevent this type of situation to which dogs are exposed so that they do not get sick in any way and enjoy good health throughout his life, which is why this entry will close with recommendations to prevent colds in pets.
The first thing will be to take care that they are not exposed to very sudden changes in temperature, an example may be that they leave a room with very cold air conditioning outside and there is a lot of sun. The opposite can also happen, when they are warm inside the house and go outside without protection and it is very cold, for this we recommend coats, blankets or clothes for dogs that keep them warm.
Humidity is also important to avoid. When bathing dogs, owners must ensure that they dry completely before going out or if they have gotten wet in the rain, dry them and keep them indoors or in a dry place. It will not be necessary to use a dryer when the weather is hot and sunny after bathing them to let them dry naturally, however, removing a little moisture will reduce the time it will take.
If they sleep outside, it is recommended to prepare their house with blankets so that the place is warm. They should not be left in the car without spaces for air to circulate and they should be vaccinated to protect them from other diseases.