Natural Pet Health

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.

Asthma, or chronic bronchitis, is a devastating disease that affects both cats and dogs. What happens is that the tiny airways in the lungs become inflammed and more thick than they should be. Breathing in oxygen becomes a lot more difficult and your pet has a hard time catching his/her breath. If the asthma becomes severe then mucus and muscle work in coordination to restrict breathing.

Any cat or dog can get asthma but the most affected ages are the ones who are young to middle age. Many holistic vets blame the food we feed our pets. The artificial preservatives and colorants found in commercial pet food is not healthy for cats and dogs. Also, in the United States our animals receive far too many vaccinations. These two things combined can cause serious damage to your pets immune system and make them less resistant to things like asthma attacks.

Canine flu is a viral infection caused by different varieties of the Influenza Virus A, a viral agent known to cause equine flu. The most common of these viruses is the equine influenza virus H3N8. In fact, the first instance of canine flu occurred in the horserace tracks of Florida where greyhounds were also raced and therefore exposed to the virus.

Although canine influenza virus has been tested positive in dogs earlier, it was only in 2004 that it was discovered that the virus could also cause influenza in dogs. The virus affects the canine respiratory system and causes this highly contagious disease that can pass on from one dog to another.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.