Colds in dogs: symptoms and treatment

Strong immunity of the dog is able to actively combat environmental viruses. With such protection, the dog can live a long time without fear of catching a cold. Such a disease can often hurt the dog, which leads a very active life, and the body is more difficult to recover. Unlike humans, animals can not survive even in the most extreme conditions. Therefore, even the most common cold is more difficult to tolerate. In dogs, the symptoms of the disease need to be determined in time, so that everything does not end with serious complications and even death.

What can be dangerous common cold for a dog?

When a virus enters the body, it begins to fight with it, producing antibodies, thus compensatory reaction is manifested. The vessels sharply expand, the blood flow increases, the body temperature in the animal temporarily rises. Therefore, often a dog gets sick after a long stay in the cold. And the longer the animal is in the cold, the higher the likelihood that the disease will be carried more heavily.

Any, even the most common, cold can develop into pathology: pneumonia, kidney disease, rheumatism, if you do not begin to treat the animal immediately, after finding signs of the disease. A common cold in a dog can be fraught with the fact that the immunity will decrease so much that the body can not overcome even the most simple virus.

An animal with a strong immune system does not have a cold. And the owner can only notice that the dog is not as active as before, and a couple of days later, her usual condition returned. But any behavior unusual for the dog should not be left without attention.

Causes of the disease

Disease in a dog can be hereditary, but can arise from irresponsible behavior of the owners or from the prevailing circumstances. Factors that can affect a healthy dog:

1. Pathological and catarrhal diseases are characteristic of dogs that are decorative, and those that are bred massively. Such breeds have a tendency to various diseases, including colds.
2. The older the dog, the more thorough care is needed, because they become weaker and the protective functions of the body also weaken.
3. The dog should not lose thermoregulation. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor the animal that has just been washed or it has become soaked in the rain. If the dog is on the street, where the temperature is below room temperature or in a draft, then it is likely that it will freeze. Especially the hypothermia is especially dangerous for small breed dogs, because their basal body temperature is higher.
4. A dog should have a full life with a balanced diet. She must live in a dry room, which is constantly ventilated. The temperature in it should be comfortable for her. If you do not support these conditions, and do not vaccinate the dog, then his body will be harder to fight with viruses.
5. Dogs need to communicate with other dogs. But we need to be cautious about individuals who are ill or not vaccinated, and as little as possible to contact them, and it is better to avoid contact altogether.
6. Carriers of dangerous infections, such as fleas, worms and others, can seriously affect the condition of the body, constantly depressing it. Preventive maintenance will help to get rid of such problems. Even from a small age the dog should be observed periodically from a veterinarian. First, you need to give a general blood test and show the vet to exclude the probability of the puppy's disease.

But do not be afraid that a dog can catch a cold from a person. The virus will affect only the organism that suits it. Everything will depend on which bacteria attack the body during the illness.

Colds in dogs: symptoms

How to treat this disease? Before the appointment of therapy you need to accurately determine the disease. In order for the treatment to be successful, and any disease is transferred normally, it is necessary to put the correct diagnosis. Then the vet will be able to choose the treatment that will help.

The success of therapy and the normal overcoming of any disease will depend on the correctness of the diagnosis. It is important to clearly understand what the animal was sick with. It can be something serious or ordinary cold in dogs. Symptoms may be similar. Therefore, it is better to know them in advance in order to competently approach the treatment of a pet.

If the nose is hot and dry to the touch, the doctor should examine it. Then you need to measure the temperature. A hot dry nose indicates that the body temperature is increased. This symptom is the first for a cold. Remember that the body temperature of a healthy dog is 37.5-39 degrees. Also, in a sick dog, you can see that the wool has faded.

If changes in behavior in a pet became noticeable: it became less active, quickly becomes tired, refuses to play, lethargy is observed, then there is a cold. In dogs, the symptoms are pronounced, so they are difficult to miss.

The appearance of snot (transparent mucus) and lachrymation is another sign of a cold in dogs.

It often happens that the cold is acute in dogs. How to treat an animal in such cases? When the fever has begun, the dog needs to be urgently shown to the doctor.

Distinguish the cold from another disease

When the airway is inflamed, it can lead to oxygen deficiency throughout the body. So can a cold appear in dogs. Symptoms and treatment for the defeat of the respiratory tract are the same as in the initial stage of the common cold. When there is not enough oxygen, the animal feels malaise, weakness, rarely convulsions. To all other signs, we can add that in acute respiratory distress, dogs have shortness of breath, quick breathing, lymph nodes increase, and sometimes conjunctivitis may occur.

Recommendations for treatment

If the diagnosis is correct and the condition of the dog does not cause fear, that is, it really is a cold in dogs, treatment at home can be done without the intervention of a doctor.

1. For the period of illness the dog should be provided with a warm drink, quality food. We must refrain from playing with the animal, that is, leaving it alone.
2. The temperature in the room where the pet dwells must be comfortable. Skvoznyakov and dampness, too, should not be.
3. In order to warm the pet, you can lay a fabric that will keep warm. For small dogs, a blanket may be required. To the dog did not freeze, you can put a heating pad in its place.
4. To disperse the blood, massage will help. Therefore, to activate the strength of the body, you can iron and scratch the animal with a soft brush.

Treatment

If a cold is diagnosed in dogs, how to treat an animal at home using medication? If the dog has normal activity and there is no refusal to eat and drink, then at the initial stage it is possible to carry out treatment at home: subcutaneously stab the drug "Gamavit" (or its analogue) once a day for 5 days. Also, you need to give the drug "Amoxiclav" one tablet per day for 7-14 days. It is still necessary to inject intramuscularly the drug "Cycloferon" for 5-7 days. If the temperature is high, then the following drugs should be stained: "Analgin" and "Dimedrol".

But you need to watch the dog, the medicine should improve the animal's well-being.

If there is a strong cough, sputum and wheezing, then know that these are also characteristic signs of such a disease as a cold in dogs. How to cure an animal at home with such symptoms? You may need a broad spectrum of antibiotics. In the course of the disease, the protective functions of the whole organism decrease. And during the reception of antibiotics, the intestinal microflora is also disturbed. Therefore, the dog should be given a medicine that will return everything to normal.

Tips for the owner

Self-medication has never produced a proper result, especially when a cold occurs in dogs. Symptoms can be defined incorrectly, there is a probability of making the animal only worse. When a domestic pet is sick and there is an opportunity to call a veterinarian at home, then you need to use this service. Upon arrival, the doctor will examine the animal, and if advised to hospitalize it, it is better not to refuse, since very insidious can be a cold in dogs. Treatment can be completed in the clinic under the supervision of specialists.

Prevention

The simplest way to make the body of a pet more powerful by improving the heat regulation system, and you need to start with hardening. Naturally, everything is good in moderation. Therefore, the procedures for hardening should be started gradually.

Do not leave the dog in the cold until it stops feeling cold. After all, this can lead to an absolutely opposite result. But if you start to affect the cold gradually and on increasing, this will in time produce its fruits.

The main rule with such strengthening of the body is abundant and full nutrition. Since most of the nutrients that go, including to maintain the body healthy, is in food.

Interesting opinion

There is an opinion that there is no such thing as a cold in dogs. A dog can tolerate pharyngitis, laryngitis, rhinitis, pleurisy, etc., but I will not catch cold. Therefore, if a pet has symptoms of this disease, then it should be taken to a veterinary clinic, where the competent specialist will determine the disease and its nature, and also will write out the necessary medications. Also it is necessary to remember, that it is better to pay for consultation to the doctor, than then to struggle with illness or disease which has given complications.

Conclusion

Now you know what the cold in dogs is. Symptoms and treatment at home are two important topics that we examined in detail. We hope that our article was useful to you.