Can dogs catch the cold?

[John Thomson]

Do dogs get 'the cold' the same as humans?

Quite a few people have commented that their dogs seem to have caught the cold recently......although none are coughing ( which would indicate kennel cough).

If this is a cold virus am I right in saying it cannot be treated with antibiotics?
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John Thomson
www.cumbernaulddogtraining.co.uk

[Janis]

i believe this to be the case!

my two have definitely not been coughing but inca is wheezing now and again! as said previously i will monitor them and if i feel that medical intervention is needed then i will get them to the vet but i hope a couple of days rest and their own immune system will kick in and take control .

[Fiona]

I don't think they are the same colds as we get but I could be wrong! Sharon,Emma & Suzanne would probably be better placed to confirm that.

Star and Libby had it for a few days, just runny nose, sneezing and a bit under the weather but now they are fine. I didn't have the need to take them to the vet.
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Dogs are like Chocolate, you just can't have one!

[Janis]

that's what i am looking for fiona! just few days off colour and then they start to pick up again!

let's face it we all have off days!

and i agree that human and canine colds are non transferable!

[StuartW]

Dogs can get viral infections, depends on the virus if it can also be caught by humans. It's called zoonosis.

I think most flu viruses originated in birds?

On any case, just as in humans take heed of medical / vetinary advice about antibiotics - not only do they have zero effect on a viral infection, all antibiotic have side effects. Even if the infection is bacterial, overuse has led to increasingly difficult to treat infections.

Turning this ->


Into this ->



(Cool 'smilie' BTW.. where did he come from????)

[Janis]

good to know stuart! i will try and log this into my tiny brain and learn from it!

[marcella]

[Suzanne St]

hi Norma took Tara to the Vet. They said she has infection with high temp, glands in throat are swollen too they did give her antibiotics poor wee thing sneezing and weezing

[marcella]

Not good news for Tara either must be something in the air!!!!!!!

[Nicola]

I don't think Molly had a cold, John, more of an irritation. According to the vet that I like, he's seen a few dogs in the area with the same symptoms as Molly. Nothing serious, though.

Perhaps we just refer to it as a doggie cold!

Five days worth of antibiotics and Molly is absolutely fine now!

[Lindy]

Dora and Lizzy have both improved since they had it Lizzy at the weekend and Dora on Tue and Wed runny noses, sniffing, wheezing but are fine now and play fighting as usual

[Jim & Geraldine]

Buster has been wheezing today and sounds as though he has something in his throat. He has also been lethargic. Jim took him to the vet and she tried to feel his neck and he had a snarl at her (not like him although he did it to John and Jim last week when they touched his neck) She says that he may have Kennel Cough even though we have had him vaccinated.

[Nicola]

[marcella]

that's right Nicola, I believe there are 8 types of Kennel Cough although perhaps one of our Vet Nurses can confirm that. I think some vaccines cover 3 of them, some cover around 5.

There's no single vaccine that covers them all as far as I am aware............ maybe Suzanne could tell us.

[suzanne l]

there are countless strains of kennel cough unfortunately, and you are right, no one vaccine covers them all. some arent covered at all if i remember correctly. a bit like our flu, vaccines cover the most common, but it mutates all the time the wee oh I swore!
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your cat will never annoy by barking at 3am, he wont attack the postman or eat the curtains, although he may climb them to see how the room looks from the ceiling...