Since your canine companion lacks the ability to verbally communicate, any signs of discomfort or illness can be immediate cause for alarm. Are you experiencing cold symptoms and are worried that you might give your sickness to your dog? Is your dog sneezing, coughing, having a bout of the sniffles, or showing other signs that you would attribute to the common cold? Read on to learn more!
Have more questions about your dog’s illnesses? Contact Germantown Vet online or call us at 240-252-7467.
Do Dogs Get the Common Cold?
Medically speaking, dogs do not suffer from illnesses that we call “the common cold.” The viruses that are suspected to cause human colds have no impact on doggie bodies, so if you were worried about giving your furry buddy your cold (or catching theirs), you needn’t be concerned. This said, dogs certainly do get colds of a sort—it’s just from different viruses.
Interestingly, even though the viruses are different, dog colds show pretty much identical symptoms to human colds. Common symptoms for dog colds include:
- Sneezing and sniffling
- Coughing
- Runny or congested nose
- Watery eyes
- Mild lethargy
Generally, dog colds are no more serious or threatening than human colds. They often come and go within a small handful of days, at which point your pet should return to normal. Treatment usually involves simply ensuring your pet stays hydrated by offering water and good-quality wet foods.
If you want to, your dog might also benefit greatly from some chicken noodle soup, which offers a good nutrition profile, hydration, and warmth that can ease symptoms—just avoid varieties that include onion or garlic!
When to Be Concerned About Dog Colds
Symptoms should be treated with a higher level of caution and care if your dog is older, very young, or pregnant. In any of these states, dogs have a compromised immune system, which could mean that the cold could potentially rapidly progress into a worse condition, or there could be trouble if a more dangerous issue is misdiagnosed. If your dog with a cold falls into any of these three categories, we highly advise a trip to your trusted veterinarian as soon as possible!
There is reason to be concerned if any cold symptoms coincide with worse symptoms as well. If your pet is also doing any of the following, it’s time to see your vet:
- Retching and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Prolonged periods of lethargy
- Cold-like symptoms that last more than a few days
Some of the larger, more concerning illnesses to watch out for can include kennel cough, which is very cold-like but also typically includes loud coughing and wheezing. Canine influenza is also a worry, which includes all cold symptoms in conjunction with an extreme loss of appetite, fever, vomiting, and discharge from the nose and eyes.
Protect Your Pet with Annual Vaccinations
Unfortunately, just as there’s no vaccine that treats human colds (to our never-ending sadness), there’s no vaccine for dog cold, either. However, there is an annual vaccine that you should absolutely make sure your dog is protected by. The canine 5-in-1 is easy to keep up with, and it prevents many of the severe conditions that may be confused with a simple doggie cold.
Treat Your Dog’s Cold at Germantown Vet
As a loving pet owner, you never want to see your companion suffer, and we don’t either!
If you are concerned about the health of your pet and want to find the right solution, reach out to our team to schedule an appointment with our experienced veterinarians today.
