Natural Pet Health

Canine influenza or dog flu was first identified in early 2005. This was after the outbreak of an epidemic of a dog respiratory system disease in the greyhound racetracks in Florida. A major outbreak of the disease was reported in New York State and by 2006 it had spread to 22 states of USA and believed to affect almost 16% of the dogs, with a mortality rate of 7%.

The canine influenza virus (CIV) belongs to the same family as the equine influenza virus, which has been around since the last forty years and more. It is understood that the contagion occurred on the racing tracks as the same tracks are used for greyhound as well as horse racing.

When inflicted with canine influenza, almost 80% of the dogs show mild symptoms and the rest 20%, although infected, do not show any visible symptoms. 

Mild dog flu manifests as cough that may last for up to a month and is often accompanied by a greenish discharge from the dog nose. Severe manifestation of the disease is characterized by high fever and pneumonia. The pneumonia, however, is not caused by CIV but is a secondary infection caused by bacteria. Without proper treatment, pneumonia in such cases leads to hemorrhagic pneumonia and an inflammation of blood vessels that proves to be fatal in almost 50% of the instances.

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Although the symptoms are almost similar canine colds are not the same as the common cold in humans. Your dog may develop a cough, runny eyes, sneezing and there may even be a yellowish green discharge from the dog nose.

However, these are mostly the symptoms of a viral or bacterial infection that mimic symptoms of common cold. In most cases these symptoms disappear on their own over time. But it needs to be known that certain infections can progress into serious ailments if not attended to.

Canine colds fall under the category of dog respiratory problems and may occur due to the following common infections:

1.    Parainfulenza virus is the most common infection that produces symptoms of common cold in dogs. There is no effective vaccination available to protect canines against this virus and the condition is likely to run its course no matter what. At the most your veterinarian will try to evaluate the illness and prescribe medication to prevent secondary infections.

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A lot of people would like to know whether their dogs and cats can catch common colds like humans do. The answer is YES and NO!

Symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing and coughing can develop as a result of a viral, bacterial or fungal infection in the canine or feline respiratory system. But while human colds are usually associated with a change in season, cat and dog colds are independent of seasonality and are usually caused by a virus.

Many pet owners bring their dog or cat to a vet, kennel or cattery while traveling. The risk of infection increases greatly. In addition, the holidays are often a time of high-travel, and pets may come along for the journey.

Conditions on an airplane or other places of high traffic are also grounds for germs and illness for pets, just as they are for humans. Even exposure to a family member’s pet, strange food, and disturbed living environment can cause stress and wreak havoc on an animal’s immune system.

Therefore, taking a proactive approach to your pet’s health is just as important as it is for your own.

Protective Care & Symptom Relief for Cats

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Sinuses are air-filled cavities especially in the bones of the skull that meet nasal cavities. It is one of the many infections that can affect the health and behavior of your dog during a lifetime. Dog sinus infections are a common occurrence and may be bacterial, viral or fungal in nature.

Aspergillosis is a common fungal sinus disease that is caused primarily by Aspergillus fumigatus. Infection is usually in the nasal cavity and sinuses. Although it can affect healthy animals as well, a weak immune system, a history of sinus infections, diabetes and a protracted antibiotic treatment can put a dog in the high risk category for a sinus infection.

Aspergillus fumigatus is present all over the environment and a dog may inhale Aspergillus spores. This leads to fungal infection. Most sinus infections tend to be localized and remain restricted to the sinus or the nasal passage. However, the disease ranges from a mild form that affects only the surface of the mucosa to a more intense condition where the bones of the sinus are destroyed.

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Kennel cough or tracheobronchitis is bronchitis that is marked by dry spasmodic cough, retching, sneezing, snorting or choking. It is characterized by inflammation of the upper respiratory system. It can be caused by either a viral or bacterial infection.

Tracheobronchitis is highly contagious and occurs when dogs are kept in crowded places with poor ventilation and lot of warm air - places like boarding kennels, vaccination clinics, hospital waiting rooms or any other such place where other infected dogs may be present.

Kennel cough in canines is equivalent, in some aspects, to common cold in humans. The symptoms are characteristic and obvious enough for diagnosis. And just as common cold caused by a virus requires no treatment, kennel cough in dogs also does not require any treatment if the condition has been caused due to a viral infection.

The symptoms tend to go away within 10 days. However, the commonality between common cold and kennel cough ends there since instances of kennel cough that involve the distemper virus carry a high risk are and considered to be serious. Such cases need immediate attention to ensure that the progression of the disease is contained.

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A lot of people would like to know the answer to the question whether dogs can get common colds like humans or not. Dogs do develop symptoms like a runny dog nose, sneezing and cough.

Although all the above mentioned symptoms sound like the common cold in humans, most of the time the condition that is diagnosed is a viral, bacterial or fungal infection in the canine respiratory system. Symptoms resembling common cold should not be shrugged away even though some of the conditions are self limiting and go away on their own.

Sometimes these symptoms, especially if accompanied by fever, can be indicative of serious ailments like the highly infectious dog flu (canine influenza virus) or canine distemper. These ailments can eventually lead to pneumonia if not treated.

Some of the symptoms of canine cold may include:
-    Chronic cough.
-    Hacking cough that throws up phlegm.
-    Yellowish green nasal discharge.
-    Loss of appetite.
-    Watery eyes.

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Tracheobronchitis or kennel cough in canines is mostly caused by exposure to an infected dog or dogs. It is characterized by inflammation of the respiratory tract, which causes symptoms like a dry cough, sneezing, snorting, and sometimes nasal discharge.

The infection usually occurs in crowded places where infected dogs may be present.

Unless it is a severe condition, kennel cough in dogs is a self limiting condition and the symptoms tend to disappear within a fortnight. However, it is better to take preventive measures since kennel cough can lead to serious conditions like pneumonia.

Although a bit impractical, the best prevention is to limit exposure to other dogs that may be infected. The next best option is vaccination.

If your dog has been vaccinated with a standard 5-way or 7-way vaccine there are chances that he is already protected from several viral agents such as parainfulenza and adenovirus, the common viruses causing kennel cough.

If that is not the case, an intranasal vaccine can protect against these viruses and a bacterium known as Bordetella bronchiseptica, a major bacterial agent that causes kennel cough in dogs.

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Both older and younger pets are more predisposed to disease. They are also more prone to progression of a disease and treatment failure. This happens because in older pets the vital organs and systems start to loose their functionality and, in puppies and kittens these organs and systems have not developed completely.

The immune system too is highly compromised in older and younger pets due to similar reasons. Canine and feline upper respiratory infection is common in young pets. Although inherently self-limiting by nature, home care remedies can make that extra difference to a fast recovery.

Canine flu, for example, is an infection caused by the canine influenza virus that produces fever, fever, pains and dog respiratory problems like cough, breathing problems and discharge from the dog’s nose. Death from the virus itself is unusual but may occur in puppies due to respiratory complications if proper home care is not provided.

Puppies that have been bought from stores usually have a history of having traveled in close quarters with other dogs or puppies. Most of the dog respiratory problems stem from infections that have been contacted during this time.

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Stuffy dog noses make dogs want to blow out as if sneezing. Simply put, if your dog appears to be all plugged up, it is not a good sign. There is very little that you can do about a dog cold on your own as it may be due to a variety of reasons. If your dog is old then a blocked and stuffy nose can even be indicative of a heart ailment.

Stuffy dog noses may be due to any of the following conditions:

* A foreign object that may have stuck in the dog’s nose causing irritation. The snorting or sneezing that may ensue may actually be your dog’s efforts at trying to expel it.
* Stuffy dog noses can also be caused due to an infection or a tooth problem. Nasal infections in dogs can be either viral bacterial or fungal.
* Allergies, either dietary or environmental or due to an allergen are also causes of a stuffy dog nose.

You can be sure that a foreign object is lodged in your dog’s nose if he paws his face too often and with a vengeance. The foreign particle could be the bristly brush-like spikes of a foxtail that are bothering him and you may need the help of a veterinarian to get it extricated.

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The respiratory system of dogs is almost similar to humans and comprises of openings in the nose, the sinuses, the larynx (air passages), the trachea (wind pipe), the bronchi and the lungs. As such, any ailment that affects these organs is termed as a respiratory disease. Canine respiratory diseases may be caused by infections, parasites, cancer, trauma or infections.

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