Up until the last week or so, I could say that I’ve never really heard a dog cough before. But in the last few days, Lally’s been making a weird noise that is somewhere between a human cough and the sound she makes before she barfs. Aside from the cough, she seems fine… so it got me wondering: do dogs catch colds?
Colds — like humans have — aren’t transmittable from humans to pets. So what could be causing Lally’s cough?
- Kennel cough comes with a high, dry cough — the dog seems to feel fine otherwise. In most adult dogs, kennel cough usually clears up in about two weeks without any medical treatment; use of a humidifier can give your dog some relief. In toy breeds and puppies, however, kennel cough can lead to pneumonia.
- Distemper comes with a high fever, a dry cough, and a thick discharge from the nose and eyes. These symptoms closely resemble a human cold but are not so harmless. Distemper can be fatal in young dogs and older or ill dogs.
- Different kinds of parasite can leave your dog coughing. Roundworm larva in the windpipe can cause bouts of coughing. Heartworms are a far more serious infestation; by the time a dog is coughing and wheezing, his lungs are full of adult heartworms. In the case of heartworm, the dog is weak and unable to handle even mild exercise without breathing difficulties.
- Tuberculosis can cause a wet cough that produces bloody mucus and spit. You may also notice your dog is having labored breathing. This is a disease that can be transferred from dog to human and vice versa.
- Some fungus diseases have similar symptoms to tuberculosis. Fungus spores from large quantities of bird droppings (a pigeon or chicken coop, for example) can lead to chronic cough, pneumonia, and other breathing difficulties.
- Allergies can cause a cough along with general itchiness and sneezing.
- Pollutants like cigarette smoke can cause a temporary cough.
Lally is generally susceptible to allergy problems — so I’m pretty sure her cough is a symptom of that. If it doesn’t clear up in a few days or if other symptoms develop, we’ll head for the vet’s office.