Taking Care of a Pet With a Cold

The disclaimer: If your pet is sick, please consult a veterinarian. This advice is not intended to replace the personalized care you will get when you physically take your animal to a licensed veterinarian.

I have been volunteering at a local animal shelter for awhile now, in the veterinary clinic. Adopters can bring their newly adopted pets in for free help with shelter-related health issues. We mostly treat head colds: upper respiratory infections in cats and kennel cough in dogs.

The veterinarian I work with, Dr. Steve Huber, gives the same advice to every adopter on nursing dogs and cats with colds. With his permission, I’m sharing this advice here. (Respect the disclaimer!)

Create a steam room. If you have a vaporizer – not a humidifier, but a machine that boils water and creates steam -- put your pet in a small room with it for about 15 minutes, twice a day. If you don’t have a vaporizer, create a steam room in a small bathroom by turning on the shower as hot as it will go. Don’t put your pet under the shower, of course, but let him roam the room. The steam will soften up all the mucus membranes and help clear the airways.

Keep the boogers away. Twice a day, especially in the morning, wet a cotton ball with warm water, squeeze out the excess water, and gently rub your pet’s eyes and nostrils to remove any crusty buildup that has accumulated.

Provide fluids with calories. If your pet is feverish or congested and can’t smell anything, he may not feel like eating his regular food. Set down a buffet of foods such as broths, bouillons, chicken soup, and the liquid from canned tuna. Dr. Huber also recommends Gerber’s Chicken and Gravy baby food. It is high in water, nutritious and pretty darn tasty. Don’t give your pet anything with milk or sugar in it.

If your pet’s doctor has given you medications, give them according to directions.

Head colds in pets can last from two to 10 days. If your pet’s illness lingers, consult your veterinarian.