Pet respiratory infection refers to an infection of the throat, nose and upper airways which brings about similar reactions in pets as to the ones humans have when they suffer from infections like cough, colds, sinus or any chest congestion. It has been observed that cat respiratory infections are more common than dog respiratory infections and are also highly contagious and easily transmitted from infected dogs and cats. However canine and feline respiratory infections are almost never transmitted to humans.
Some common pet respiratory infections include Chlamydia, rhinotracheitis and kennel cough. The common symptoms of respiratory infections in pets are sneezing, coughing. Loss of appetite, lethargy, fever and runny nose or eyes.
The main causes of respiratory infections in pets are harmful organisms like fungi, viruses, bacteria which when combined with external irritants like chemicals and pollution tend to affect the eyes, nose, throat and other parts of the pet adversely. Pet respiratory infection treatment involves increasing the intake of fluids by the pet and providing nutritional supplements to strengthen the weakened immune system, In certain cases veterinarians also prescribe anti biotics and cough suppressants to address the infection. In case of kennel cough which affects dogs, the veterinarian may even prescribe steroids or the use of humidifiers to help ease the congestion. A preventive action against respiratory infection is to avoid taking the pet to parks or pet day cares where they may come in contact with an infected pet. There are also some natural remedies for handling respiratory infections in pets which include both homeopathic and herbal treatments. Two popular herbs used for treating pet respiratory infections are Mullein leaves and Elder flowers as they are renowned for their anti inflammatory and antiseptic properties. These treatments provide relief to the pet and also help in maintaining overall good health of the pet. Care should be taken before giving your pet antibiotics for respiratory infections because they are known to weaken their immune system which may make them even more vulnerable to other infections. Respiratory infections are known to affect very young or very old pets as they have weaker immune systems.
The best preventive pet respiratory infection treatment would be to ensure that your pet receives all its annual vaccinations on time and is fed a well balanced nutritive diet. Along with the diet, in case of dogs, it is always desirable to make sure that they are taken for walks regularly so that they are active and fit and are able to fight off infections.
| 