How To Cure My Dog's Cold

The first thing to take into account when learning how to cure your dog's cold is to give it some breathing room. This may be difficult as you probably want to shower your dog with love and affection while it is ill. You can make its corner or bed a little more comfortable by adding a blanket if it doesn't already have one, and by moving the water bowl and dog food closer, but you should ultimately leave your dog alone so it can rest and get back to normal fast.

Another aspect to take into account if you want to cure your dog's cold is to keep it well hydrated. It needs water to dilute the mucus and stay hydrated. If it doesn't want to drink water, you should insist and, if it still refuses to take in fluids, administer water using an oral syringe for cough syrups. If you do not know how to use the syringe, ask your vet.

If your dog doesn't seem to be hungry, gently encourage it to eat but don't force it if the dog still doesn't seem interested. One way to encourage your dog to eat is to put some canned or soft food in its dry food to spike its interest. You can also moisten the dry food with warm water to intensify the smell of the food and encourage your dog to eat it.

To feed your dog when it has a cold, you can make a hot chicken broth to help it recover, or give it some boiled wholegrain rice. Remember to leave out any chicken bones, since they can damage your dog´s digestive tract. However, be aware that some foods are toxic for dogs, such as onion, so make sure you don't add these to the broth.

Don't take your dog for a walk if it is very cold or raining outside because the cold weather will make your dog weaker, making it harder for it to fight the cold. You should also keep your dog away from other dogs to avoid spreading the virus. It is very important that you keep your dog warm and out of the cold, because cold air can cause the bronchial tubes to tighten, making breathing difficult.

Take your dog to the bathroom and turn on the hot water tap for a few minutes. The hot steam should help improve its breathing. Leave your dog in the steam for ten minutes in order to help relieve the build-up of mucus. In addition, you can also bathe your dog with warm water; then quickly dry its fur with a hairdryer or towel to prevent it from becoming dirty again.

If the days go by and your dog does not improve, you should take it to the vet for a check-up. Your dog may even develop a fever. Check out the article How to tell if my dog has fever to verify. And Home remedies for lowering my dog´s fever for tips on making your dog feel better.

Another dog illness that causes coughing is canine distemper. Read the article how to care for a dog with distemper to find out if it is something more serious.

As you have seen, treatments for the common cold in dogs are very similar to those in humans. Just as with humans, the best remedy for the common cold is to prevent it in the first place. Extreme cold temperatures and wet weather can weaken your dog´s immune system and make him more prone to getting sick. For this reason, it is best to keep your dog indoors during cold, wet weather, and only allow short trips outside.

If you want to read similar articles to How To Cure My Dog's Cold, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

Tips

• Remember that since the viruses are different in dogs and humans, there is no risk of catching your dog´s cold!
• If your dog strongly resists any of the above treatments, leave him alone! He will get better with plenty of rest.
• If your dog is a young puppy or very old, it is best to take him to a veterinarian right away. Very young and very old dogs are more vulnerable to infections and require special care.