Sick Sneezing Dog

February 28, 2008 1:03 PM

I have a sick dog, apparently a cold with sneezing. What do I do for her?
posted by swarkentien to Pets & Animals (8 answers total)

Take her to the vet.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:11 PM on February 28, 2008

Well, call first so you'll know if they need a urine or stool sample. But yeah.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 1:13 PM on February 28, 2008

Dogs don't really get colds in the sense of "wait a bit and it will pass." If there's dripping, it's probably a respiratory infection that needs to be treated. A lot of dry sneezing may indicate allergies (or a respiratory infection - it's hard to tell), in any case the vet should check her out.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:16 PM on February 28, 2008

Or a hard bonk on the nose can cause excessive sneezing - is her nose sore when you touch it?
posted by fish tick at 2:39 PM on February 28, 2008

It could also be 'reverse sneezing'
but as previously recommended, to her to a vet.
posted by allelopath at 2:55 PM on February 28, 2008

I can't personally vouch for how good the information is from this site, but it tracks with what my instinct is.

I would take her to the vet.
posted by KAS at 3:26 PM on February 28, 2008 [1 favorite]

Chicken soup?
posted by Daddy-O at 7:00 PM on February 28, 2008

Dogs do actually gets forms of colds. You do need to take the dog to the vet, but this is only to rule out other nefarious causes. Chances are the vet will give an antibiotic to make sure the pooch doesn't get any more infections while its immune system is dealing with the cold. And they may prescribe Benadryl or another antihistamine. The vet my wife works for likes to tell people who bring in dogs or cats with colds that she can leave them untreated and they'll be better in two weeks, or she can treat them and they'll be better in only 14 days.

So yes, go in to make sure that it is a simple cold and not something bad. But I wouldn't be too freaked right now.
posted by azpenguin at 9:09 AM on February 29, 2008