The cold season brings one wave of colds after another. It doesn't just affect humans, but can also make itself felt in our pets. Does your dog have a cold or cough and you don't know what to do? Find out in our article how a cold manifests itself in dogs and how you can treat the infection naturally!
Is your dog coughing and sniffling? Recognizing a cold in dogs
Upper respiratory tract infections occur in dogs just as they do in humans. Kennel cough in dogs is one of the best-known bacterial diseases in four-legged friends. But our pets can also become infected with a dog cold, a common cold or even canine influenza. In contrast to kennel cough, which is caused by a combination of viruses and bacteria, flu-like infections are only triggered by viruses.
However, not every sneeze is a direct sign that your dog has a cold. The typical symptoms when your dog has a cold are similar to those in humans:
Symptoms of a cold in dogs
- Coughing
- Watery eyes
- Nasal discharge
- Possibly increased temperature/fever
- Swollen tonsils
- Loss of appetite and tiredness
- sputum discharge
These symptoms do not all have to occur at the same time; they can also be isolated signs of a cold or canine flu.
What to do if your dog has a cold? Correct treatment and care
If you suspect that your dog has a cold or even a flu-like infection, you should first take their temperature and check whether your dog has a fever. But remember that the normal temperature for dogs is between 37.5 and 39 degrees. If your four-legged friend has a fever, you should definitely call the vet and introduce your pet to him.
Otherwise, make sure you take it easy on your animal friend and give him plenty of rest. Walks in the fresh air are beneficial for recovery, but don't overdo it. It's better to keep walks a little shorter and avoid long jogs until your four-legged friend is completely healthy. Otherwise, overexertion can have a detrimental effect on the dog's cold and your dog will only get sicker.
In addition, always make sure that he drinks enough fluids, especially if your dog is coughing or very lazy to drink. You can give him home-brewed sage or peppermint tea to drink; sweetened with honey, the tea has an even stronger antibacterial effect. Sage, on the other hand, loosens mucus in the airways and has a gentle effect on the dog's irritated throat. Peppermint is also known for its effect on the respiratory tract and also relaxes the gastrointestinal tract.
Other natural remedies such as rockrose, propolis for dogs or colostrum strengthen the dog's immune system and can also be given all year round as a preventative measure against colds. While propolis, the popular natural bee product, is regarded as nature's antibiotic and counteracts immune deficiencies in dogs, rockrose powder promotes natural metabolic processes and is a tried and tested remedy from natural medicine.
Colostrum, on the other hand, is obtained from the excess first milk of suckling cows and contains the all-important immunoglobulin G (antibodies), which also strengthen the immune system of newborns.
You can also support your pet's health with a light diet. Fresh chicken broth with chicken, boiled potatoes and carrots works wonders, and not just for us humans. However, avoid spices, as these can irritate the stomach lining.
Preventing colds and dog snuffles naturally
To prevent your dog from catching a cold, you should always rub him dry after a walk in the rain or snow and ideally, if your four-legged friend allows it, blow dry him with a hairdryer on a low setting. It is best to bathe your dog as rarely as necessary during the cold season. After all, even dogs can quickly catch a cold.
Also try to prevent your four-legged friend from jumping into the cool water in winter. Your dog can easily get hypothermia and the change between warm indoor and cold outdoor air is an additional challenge for the dog's immune system.
Another source of danger that promotes colds in dogs and is practiced by many dog owners out of ignorance: The dog bed is placed directly next to a constantly running heater. This heats up your dog and dries out his mucous membranes. This means that pathogens have fewer obstacles and can enter the dog's body more easily and quickly. The result: the dog coughs and catches a cold. You should therefore not place your pet's bed directly next to the heating and also avoid draughts.
To strengthen your dog's immune system and prevent a cold, we recommend supplementing your pet's diet with important food supplements. Rosehip powder for dogs, spirulina or barley grass are rarely found in conventional dog food, but can have a huge impact on your dog's health and immune system. They contain important vitamins, minerals and trace elements that are usually only available in synthetic form in conventional dog food.
However, we now know that vitamins from fruit and vegetables have a significantly higher bioavailability and the body can process them better. In addition, natural food supplements are generally free of side effects, unlike many synthetic supplements.
Risk groups in dogs for a cold
There are also groups of dogs that are more susceptible to catching a cold. These include senior dogs, chronically ill dogs, dogs with pre-existing conditions, puppies and, of course, dogs with a weak immune system.
While the immune system of old dogs is running on a low flame and many other metabolic processes in the body are slowed down, the immune system of young dogs, especially puppies, first has to be built up. As a result, these two groups are much more susceptible to infection with viruses or bacteria.
But special attention should also be paid to chronically ill dogs, dogs with previous illnesses or immunocompromised dogs. Their immune system is under constant attack and is unable to fight viruses and bacteria on its own.
These risk groups are also very susceptible to parasites such as worms, mites and giardia and need an additional boost to their immune system.
Conclusion
A cold in dogs is not as rare as you might think. After all, our four-legged friends' immune systems are also regularly plagued by viruses and bacteria. With a weak immune system, these pathogens usually have an easy time and can also trigger cold symptoms in our pets. If your dog has a cough or a cold, you should strengthen its defenses. Because they are the best way to avoid getting sick in the first place. The immune system can be strengthened naturally in dogs just as it can in humans: With food supplements that add an extra portion of vitamins and minerals to the daily menu, regular walks, even on cold and rainy days, and the appropriate preventative care. Because dogs can also be prevented from catching a cold naturally.
