Can My Dog Catch My Cold?

Have you ever noticed your dog sneezing and wonder if your dog was coming down with a cold?  Or had you ever had a cold and wondered if your dog could catch your cold?  I have thought of these questions frequently, especially now that we are in the peak flu season.  I noticed our Boston terrier was sneezing more than usual.  Also she had a little drainage from one of her nostrils.  But, she was active,  she was eating, and she was drinking… but…was she getting a cold?  John, my husband had a cold and was coughing and sneezing also. Concerned, I started researching and found an article by Valerie Trumps from petMD/pets.  Her article addressed not only my concerns …but…it also gave me some insights as to what to do if your dog did get a cold. Trumps article also stated how long before you would see some improvement in your dog.

  

She also discussed the following: What does it mean when you see your dog sneezing?  My concern is my Boston always seems to have her nose to the floor or ground sniffing everything as if to explore her environment.  I learned it is normal for a dog to sneeze occasionally, especially if they get something up their noses.  Valerie explained as long as the dog does not have other cold symptoms, this is probably normal because your pet could have dust or pollen in their nose. Valerie when on to say that just like humans have hay fever, puppies can also become sensitive to the flowers blooming in the springtime and may sneeze more often.

So…can my dog get a cold from me if I had the cold in the first place?  Valerie quoted Dr. Zalow who said  “A dog can’t catch a human cold any more than you can catch mange.”  Why not you might ask?  It seems that our cold germs and dog cold germs cannot affect a non-specific host. In other words, we cannot give our dogs our cold germs, and our dogs cannot give us their cold germs.  Why? … because we are humans and they are dogs and our cold germs are different from their cold germs.  ( We each have our own cold germs).

This makes me feel better, but if occasional sneezing is normal for dogs, how do we know they have a dog cold?  What symptoms do we look for and… what should we do to treat their cold?  We humans treat our symptoms with aspirins, sometimes a decongestant, cough syrup, and fluids….lots of fluids to flush out our human cold germs.  Some of few dog cold symptoms we should watch for in a dog would: an increase in the dog’s sneezing;  a runny nose; watery eyes and a lack of energy… you may notice your pet sleeping more than usually.  Now, if you have a thermometer for the dog and if you feel comfortable taking the dog’s temperature…DO IT…look for a low-grade temperature.   Any one of these symptoms could mean your dog is most probably getting a cold.  But, if your pet has two or more symptoms, it is time to take your dog to a vet and get them check out. Your pet may need medication to help them towards a speedy recovery. 

Ok, now you have a dog with a cold, what do you do to help them through the course of the illness?   You need to make them more COMFORATBLE, keep them WARM, DRY, and away from drafts.  They may have a special area they want to lay down in.  Sometimes just having a blanket for them to snuggle into, will help them be more comfortable.  Since it is important that they eat during this time, try giving them canned dog food instead of dry dog food.  It is important they continue to eat during their illness. And, as with humans, give them attention, and sympathy and plenty tender loving care by gently given them strokes of love, wipe their runny eyes carefully and gently with a fluffy cotton ball and when they sneeze just tell them “God Bless you” just like we do for humans.   And…pray or thank God you both don’t come down sick with a cold at the same time.

 

Dogs are like children, both get sick quicker than adult but they also get over their sickness quicker.  The dog’s immunity system is lower due to expending so much energy to stay warm so there is nothing you can do to prevent them from getting a cold.  From Valerie Trumps article,  I also learned the dogs ability to get well quickly comes from their ancestors’ days in the wild.  When dogs in the wild get sick or injured, they become targets for their predators so it is crucial that the dogs respond quickly in getting better and they know “what they need to do to make themselves feel better”.  This is why you will see them laying low, less active, and sleeping more.  They are actually conserving their energy and appear to be lethargic.  However with care and treatment, you should start seeing improvements within two days.  By the third day you should see your pet responding and almost completely well and perky.

If you have a short hair dog, protect them from cold weather with a dog coat or sweater.  The best way to prevent your dog from getting a cold is just keep them warm, dry, and away from drafts.  Be sure they remain healthy by getting nutritious food and a clean dry environment. Hopefully, your dog will remain healthy and be one of the lucky ones who never catch a cold…YES there are dogs that never a cold.

Now…if you want to “winterize your pet” you can start by giving them a warm, comfortable coat, or sweater.  If you need a warm, dry, comfortable stylish coat or sweater, be sure to check out our handmade, fashionable coats and sweaters at DoggieDogCoats.  From our Buddy and Princes, our four legged fuzzy children, they wish to thank you for reading our blog.