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It's the time of year when many people are coughing, sneezing, feverish, and miserable. Did you know that it's fairly common for many animals to catch colds or even flu-like viruses, too? Although humans usually can't swap contagious diseases like colds or the flu with most animals, they can spread germs to primates and vice versa.
Animals often catch "colds" and show symptoms just like people. They act lethargic, have glassy eyes, sneeze, sniffle, and cough. While a cold usually goes away by itself, it can be an early warning sign – or develop into something worse. Animals can get all types of infections and viruses, just like people do.
Grab some tissues and cough drops for yourself, and then let's see how infections and viruses treat man's best friend – the dog.
Ailments and Symptoms
According to dog-health-guide.org, canines with colds often cough, sneeze, and have runny noses and eyes. Here are some of the infections they can get, which can last for 10-14 days:
- Parainfluenza – coughing and sneezing;highly contagious and affects the respiratory system
- Canine Kennel Cough – raspy cough that brings up phlegm
- Adenovirus type-2 – cold-like symptoms;also causes kennel cough
- Pneumonia – coughing and trouble breathing;inflammation of the lungs often caused by development of untreated colds, viruses, or infections
- Distemper – cold-like and gastro-intestinal symptoms;severe illness with high mortality rate
Treatment
As with humans, it's the young and elderly who are most at risk. Puppies and older dogs should be brought to a vet if they show any symptoms. Any other dog whose symptoms worsen rather than get better should also go in. Diagnostics like a physical examination, blood work, and chest X-rays can help determine if the illness is progressing or clearing up.
Keeping the dog inside as much as possible, providing easy-to-eat foods (yes, chicken soup is a good idea for pets, too!), and using steam to help unblock the nasal passages can all help with the recovery. A vet will prescribe antibiotics or other remedies, if necessary.
Preventative Options
There are vaccinations for some of the more common infections in dogs, such as kennel cough and distemper. While vaccinating against distemper is recommended for all dogs (the disease has a high mortality rate), kennel cough vaccinations are often up to the discretion of the owner.
If the dog is exposed to other dogs, boarded at a kennel, or visits places that require the vaccine (for example, some veterinary and surgical facilities require their patients be vaccinated against kennel cough), then it's probably a good idea. If you live on a farm and your dog rarely, if ever, sees any other dogs, it may not be necessary. Your vet's opinion is the best one to seek here.
Resources:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/
http://www.dog-health-guide.org/dogcoldsymptom.html
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