Catching a cold is common to humans. Although not life-threatening, it can be extremely irritating to keep sneezing and deal with nasal congestion.
How much more would it feel uncomfortable for animals?
Dogs can get colds as well just like us humans, although they usually do not get the virus the same way we do. The symptoms are the same – runny nose, congestion, sore throat, coughing, sneezing, and other signs that humans experience when suffering from colds. For dogs however, colds are normally caused by different infections such as canine respiratory virus, canine parainfluenza virus, and others.
One frequently asked question with regards to this topic is whether dogs can catch a cold from humans. The answer is no. Like what was previously mentioned, dogs do not catch a cold the same way that humans do. The viruses that humans contract are usually incapable of causing illness in dogs.
If you feel that your dog has a cold, observe him or her carefully. If they are still able to do their usual activities like eating or drinking and he or she stays relatively active, you may try to apply home remedies to get rid of the virus. However, if your dog is having difficulty in eating, drinking, and breathing and looks extremely uneasy due to their illness, of course, bring him or her to the veterinarian.
Dogs that are sneezing, congested, and coughing pose a threat to the other dogs around him or her as these can spread the contagious virus, so you better keep them away from each other to help the transmission of disease.
CAN WE PREVENT DOGS FROM HAVING A COLD?
Unfortunately, there is no common cold vaccine for dogs at the moment, the same way there is none for humans. However, there are available vaccines to prevent some symptoms that cause colds. There are vaccines for kennel cough, distemper, canine influenza. These types of vaccines may help prevent your dog from contracting these diseases and therefore avoid having a cold.
It would also help a lot if you keep alert to any health bulletins in your neighborhood in case there is an outbreak of diseases in the area. Encourage your dog to practice healthy routines such as sleeping and eating patterns to help strengthen his or her immune system.
We highly recommend that you give your pet some multivitamins such as this 10-for-1 Multivitamin with Glucosamine from Pet Honesty.
These multivitamin snacks provide health benefits for your dog’s overall health, including their skin and coat, heart and circulation, immune system, brain and nervous system, hip and joints, and digestive system. Apart from these, it also aids in increasing energy, flexibility, and supplies antioxidants and anti-inflammatory supplements for your beloved pet. It also has probiotics containing 1 billion CFU for eliminating and preventing diarrhea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal ailments. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids from krill oil and egg shell meal also contribute to healthy coat and skin. PetHonesty 10-for-1 Multivitamin with Glucosamine is a complete supplement package for your dog.
