My French Bulldog Has A Cold: As with humans, French Bulldogs can get respiratory infections that cause them to sneeze, sniffle, and have runny noses. However, your Frenchie’s cold symptoms could also be symptomatic of something more serious.
Many different viruses can cause colds. Colds are caused by several virus types, including rhinoviruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, influenza viruses, and parainfluenza viruses. All viruses that cause colds display similar symptoms, such as sneezing, runny noses, sore throats, and general malaise.
Dogs get colds due to similar reasons. Cold symptoms in dogs are not caused by one specific virus. Instead, they are caused by a variety of viruses. Dogs’ symptoms vary in severity, which is why the French Bulldog’s cold symptoms should be treated more seriously than a human’s cold.
How to tell if your frenchie has a cold
Colds are upper respiratory infections, and they cause the following symptoms:
| Mild fever | Loss of appetite |
| Runny eyes | Sneezing |
| Nasal congestion and discharge | Inability to breathe through the nose |
| An occasional, “wet” cough, unlike kennel cough’s dry, hacking, “honking” cough | General lethargy |
Despite their discomfort, these symptoms are not severe for your French Bulldog. If they are kept warm and hydrated, most dogs will recover from a cold within a week without any treatment.
Coughing, sneezing, and running eyes and nose are not the only cold symptoms. Infections caused by bacteria or parasites, including heartworms and roundworms, can also cause coughing. Cold-like symptoms can also be caused by fungal infections and allergies, leading to lung damage and potentially pneumonia.
Treating your French Bulldogs cold
There is a possibility that your French Bulldog will not need treatment since many dogs will get better independently. If your Frenchie has only mild symptoms of a ‘dog cold,’ is eating and drinking as usual, and still appears to have the same energy levels, they should feel better within a few days to a week. It is important to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible if your French Bulldogs seem to have more than a mild cold if they are not eating or drinking, are clearly uncomfortable, or have difficulty breathing.
It may be necessary to run some diagnostic tests to determine the cause of your French Bulldogs illness if your veterinarian suspects it is something serious. They will ask you about your Frenchies flu or cold symptoms, perform a full physical examination, and look for any signs of infection. If your vet recommends antibiotics, cough suppressants, and fluids, the treatment will be based on the diagnosis outcome.
French Bulldog Cold Treatment
How to Treat your French Bulldogs Cold at Home
Colds are still contagious regardless of whether they affect dogs or people. To help your French Bulldog feel more comfortable during the cold, you can give them some home remedies. Follow these steps during your pet’s cold:
| Keep your French Bulldog bronchial tubes moist by using a warm mist vaporizer near their sleeping area. |
| To keep their noses from getting dry or irritated, use a balm. |
| When the weather gets cold, stay indoors as much as possible. Frenchies have a hard time breathing when the air is cold because their bronchial tubes constrict. |
| Adding extra nutrition to your dog’s diet, such as boiled chicken and brown rice, will be more likely to eat. It will strengthen their immune system and keep them healthy. |
| Encourage your French Bulldog to drink non-salty chicken broth if you need to. As a result, your Frenchie will have thinner nasal secretions and is less likely to have clogged noses. |
| Ensure your French Bulldog gets plenty of rest. Make sure he has a comfortable area to sleep. |
| As well as honey, cinnamon, coconut oil, and Plantago lanceolata, add herbal supplements such as echinacea and echinacea to his food. Known to enhance immunity and treat coughing, they can help build up the body’s defenses. |
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Over-the-Counter Cold Medicine For Your French Bulldogs Cold
It is important to seek your veterinarian’s approval before administering children’s cold medicine to your French Bulldog. If Frenchie suffers from a cold, small doses of medicines containing dextromethorphan can be prescribed by your veterinarian. According to their veterinarian, sick French Bulldogs may need to take Robitussin, Benylin, or Siltussin. Children’s cold medicine will not cure your Frenchie’s cold, but it can ease their symptoms and help them feel more comfortable when they’re sick.
When To See Your Vet For Your French Bulldogs Cold.
The first step toward determining if your French Bulldog needs medical attention is recognizing their symptoms. You should decide whether it is worth taking your Frenchie to the vet if they have a cold. Many respiratory infections will resolve without medical treatment. However, the severity of a French Bulldog’s condition can be difficult for you to determine. You should take your Frenchie to the veterinarian if they seem to be suffering from a cold. Due to their weaker immune systems, puppies are more prone to contracting pneumonia from a cold than adult dogs. French Bulldog owners prefer to be on the safe side and seek advice from their veterinarian if they are sick with their dog.
| A rattle can be heard in the dog’s chest. | They stop drinking. |
| The dog is clearly in pain. | As symptoms intensify, they become more severe. |
In many cases, veterinarians prescribe antibiotics as a treatment for illness. Even though antibiotics do not work against viruses, they can destroy opportunistic, invading bacteria that cause dogs to become sicker while their bodies fight the original virus.
Is it a cold or Kennel Cough?
A highly infectious respiratory disease, canine infectious tracheobronchitis, is also called kennel cough in dogs. Known as the dog flu, this viral infection spreads through kennels. Large numbers of dogs in kennels and similar places make it easy for dogs to contract and spread viruses.
A dry, honking cough is usually the most distinguishing characteristic of kennel cough in dogs. A honking goose is often used as an analogy to describe the cough. While kennel cough can be treated, puppies and dogs with compromised immune systems are more likely to suffer complications.
As well as sneezing, a runny nose, lethargy, appetite loss, and a low fever, there is another sign of kennel cough, which involves sneezing, a runny nose, and a low fever. Some of these symptoms are also seen in dogs with colds, so you should consult your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Is it possible for French Bulldog to catch a cold from humans?
Humans are extremely unlikely to infect dogs with a cold. Cold-like symptoms rarely appear in dogs and humans simultaneously, so you do not have to worry about infecting your French Bulldog with your cold.
You are unlikely to catch a cold from your Frenchie. Despite this, other dogs within the household or neighborhood may also be infected by whatever virus is causing the illness. Until your French Bulldog feels better, keep him away from other dogs.
Preventing Colds For Your French Bulldog
Avoid exposing your French Bulldog to other dogs, especially indoors, to prevent them from getting a cold. In reality, your Frenchie may end up at a dog daycare, training class, or getting boarded. A current vaccination will lessen your French Bulldogs risk and often keep symptoms milder if your Frenchie does contract respiratory illnesses such as Bordetella, parainfluenza virus, or canine flu.