Content
- Dog nose functions
- Identification
- Breathing and capturing odors
- temperature regulation
- Dog with a runny nose, what can it be?
- foreign bodies
- Allergies
- Ecto or endoparasites
- Kennel cough
- Distemper
- dental problems
- Neoplasms
- Traumas
- Treatment and Prevention
- Other steps you can take
The dog's nose, responsible for breathing and capturing odors, has a naturally moist and fresh appearance. When there is a problem or illness, it can become drier, runny and even change its color.
the existence of nasal discharge it is almost always meaning that something is not right with your pet. This substance can vary in color, consistency and frequency and can indicate different types of problems, as well as the prognosis of the animal.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain the possible causes and treatment for a dog with a runny nose, so that you can understand if a dog can also get a cold.
Dog nose functions
Identification
Did you know that each dog's nose is unique and works just like a human's fingerprint? Yeah, each shape and nose bumps are unique and no other dog has a nose the same. In fact, it is even common to use the nose print to identify animals, in addition to microchipping and photography.
Breathing and capturing odors
The dog's nose has breathing and odor capture as its main function. It is 25 times more powerful than that of the human being's sense of smell, capturing imperceptible odors to human beings and from miles away.
temperature regulation
As you probably already know, dogs don't sweat like we do.Some authors argue that a small percentage of perspiration is carried out through the finger pads and through the nose, but it is not enough, hence the dog gasps to regulate the temperature.
Fever in dogs is usually identified by the tutor through the nose. It will find itself dry and warm and, in most cases, the animal does not want to move or eat.
Dog with a runny nose, what can it be?
Dogs breathe through their nose and, as such, the nose must be clean and free of secretions to be able to carry out gas exchange and smell the surrounding odors. be sick.
O sneeze it is a defense mechanism which works as an attempt to expel whatever is irritating the nasal mucosa. Frequent sneezing is not normal, if your dog is sneezing many times throughout the day you should check your dog's nose for dust or seeds and, if you can't see the cause of these sneezes, you should take your dog to the veterinarian. Learn more in the article "Dog sneezing a lot, what can it be?"
If you noticed the dog with a runny nose, that it's never a good sign, a dog's normal nose is moist and cool, but it should never be runny or dripping.
If you've seen the dog with phlegm in the nose, the discharge can vary in color (clear, yellow, green, bloody) and consistency (serous, mucous), depending on the cause and severity of the problem.
THE runny nose é set of signs resulting from nasal mucosa inflammation, namely: nasal discharge (running nose), nasal obstruction (dog with a stuffy nose) associated with sneezes or other respiratory symptoms.
A dog with a runny nose may be affected by:
foreign bodies
The dog is an animal that loves to explore and sniff out everything around him. Often, the result of this exploration makes the animal smell a foreign body such as seeds, dust or garbage that can be retained at the entrance of the nose or in the nasal cavity.
If the animal sneezes and rubs and is unable to remove the object, there may be a foreign body reaction:
- constant sneezing
- Runny nose usually unilateral, on one side
- Abscesses and swollen face
- constant head shake
- Rub the muzzle on the ground, against objects or with the paws
Allergies
Dogs also have allergies, like us, and they can show the same type of symptoms. They can develop rhinitis as a result of direct and prolonged contact with the allergen.
The dog can develop an environmental allergy (atopy), to the type of diet, to flea bites (DAPP), to drugs or chemicals. This is why it is so important to diagnose the cause so that the correct treatment can be applied.
These are the main dog allergy symptoms:
- Intense itching in certain regions of the body or all over the body
- Excessive licking of extremities
- hair loss
- recurrent otitis
- Injuries and skin changes
- Red skin
- Lachrymation/eye and/nose runny
- sneezing
- coryza
- breathing difficulty
- Diarrhea
- vomiting
Ecto or endoparasites
Mites are small microscopic parasites that can live on the surfaces and body of animals, namely in the fur and nasal cavity, causing puppies to sneeze and run from the nose with purulent (greenish yellow) or bloody discharge.
Kennel cough
Also known simply as the flu, it is a highly contagious disease of the lower respiratory tract that is easily transmitted between dogs through secretions. It is called kennel cough precisely because it is very common in shelter dogs and because of the proximity between them.
The symptoms of a dog with a cold start with a simple sneeze that progressed to constant sneezing until coughing and difficulty breathing.
Usually this disease is self-limiting, that is, it resolves by itself, however, there are cases that require treatment as the disease can progress to more severe pneumonia and endanger the animal's life.
It is more frequent in very young, elderly or debilitated animals, that is, those that have the weakest immune system and that allow the virus to replicate.
Distemper
Distemper is an infectious and contagious viral disease that is very dangerous for dogs. This virus replicates in blood cells and the central nervous system causing:
- Initial stage: gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting.
- Intermediate stage: respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and thick purulent nasal and eye discharge. This is the case of a dog with a runny nose and sneezing.
- Advanced stage: it affects the central nervous system and the dog may present disorientation, tremors, convulsions and even death.
dental problems
Dental problems such as gingivitis, tartar or tooth root infections that lead to abscesses can affect the anatomically close sinuses causing indirect obstructions.
Neoplasms
Whether benign neoplasms, such as polyps, or malignant, they will irritate the nasal mucosa and cause it to bleed. Furthermore, they can lead to the production of excessive discharge.
Traumas
Injuries to the nasal cavity include bites, scratches or bruises. This type of trauma can cause obstruction of the nasal cavity or directly damage the nasal mucosa causing it to produce some type of discharge, being a possible cause of a dog with a runny nose.
Treatment and Prevention
Tell the veterinarian all about the animal environment: trips to the street, where he sleeps, what animals he lives with, if you have plants at home, vaccines and deworming, type of diet, if you were recently taken in from a shelter, when the sneezing and runny nose started and in what situations . This will help the veterinarian diagnose.
The treatment of a dog with runny (runny nose) will depend on the cause:
- foreign bodies: Avoid walking your dog in places with tall grass or seed plants. If this happens, wash your dog's muzzle with saline if he is reporting. If it doesn't improve, we suggest that you take your pet to the vet, as the foreign body may be farther and deeper than you can see.
- Allergies: first of all, it is necessary to treat your pet's current discomfort, and for this you may need corticosteroids, immunomodulators, antihistamines and antibiotics. Therefore, it is necessary to find out what the dog is allergic to, in other words, discover the cause in order to fight it. This will require several steps, from elimination of possible food allergens with an elimination diet, allergy tests for both food and environmental components and management changes. Once the cause is found, it may be necessary to keep the animal on chronic treatment.
- parasites: perform internal and external deworming regularly as indicated by the veterinarian.
- Kennel cough: it is not usually lethal, but it does require treatment to prevent it from developing into pneumonia. There is a vaccine for this disease, so if your puppy frequents places with many puppies such as schools, hotels or kennels, it is a good prophylactic option to prevent its occurrence.
- Distemper: the most effective treatment for this disease and prevention. This disease is included in the vaccination plan of most young puppies and it is enough to make an annual booster after three doses starting at 6 weeks of age.
- dental problems: good oral hygiene through regular scaling, elixir or anti-tartar bars to prevent premature tooth wear.
- Neoplasms: surgical removal, chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Other steps you can take
- Avoid chemicals such as perfumes or cleaning products near the dog
- Avoid smoking in unventilated environments.
- Regular cleaning of beds to eliminate dust mites and possible allergens.
- Be careful with the type of plants you have at home, some may look beautiful and harmless but be lethal to the animal or cause allergies.
- Protect your pet from drafts.
- Maintain good immunity through good nutrition and an updated vaccination plan.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.