Bronchitis in dogs is an inflammation of the mucous membrane as well as the submucosa of the bronchi. This is a rather serious disease that significantly affects the physical form and well-being of the animal and can lead to various complications. Therefore, it is very important not to start the disease and, at the first signs of an illness, contact your veterinarian to prescribe treatment.
Bronchitis in dogs: causes
Primary bronchitis in a dog can occur due to a cold as a result of long walks in severe frost and wind, hypothermia of the animal while swimming in a pond, prolonged exposure to the rain, lying on damp and cold ground, etc.
Also, the development of this disease is facilitated by the inhalation of gases, dust, smoke, hot and cold air, a deficiency in the dog's food of vitamins C and A. The animal can catch a cold even at home if there is a draft in the room.
Secondary bronchitis in a dog can appear due to both infectious diseases (plague, adenovirus), and non-infectious: laryngitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, hypovitaminosis A, etc.
Both acute and chronic bronchitis in dogs can occur for the same reasons. The chronic course of the disease is acquired as a result of ineffective or incorrect treatment of the acute form.
Bronchitis in dogs: symptoms
Symptoms of bronchitis in dogs include:
- increased body temperature;
- lethargy;
- trembling;
- increased heart rate;
shortness of breath;
- poor appetite.
With bronchitis, animals lie more, their breathing becomes difficult. At the onset of the disease, dogs have a dry cough, then a wet and rather painful cough. In some parts of the lungs, hard breathing is heard, and subsequently it is observed throughout the pulmonary field. In dogs with bronchitis, there is a thick mucous discharge from the nose, which then becomes mucopurulent.
First aid for bronchitis
If you suspect your dog has bronchitis, you need to urgently contact your veterinarian. It is advisable to call him at home. Before the arrival of the doctor and for the entire duration of treatment, the animal must be provided with rest.
A dog with bronchitis should be fed only with easily digestible food rich in vitamins, and should also be given a warm, plentiful drink. For first aid and during treatment, it is recommended to warm (but not tightly) wrap the chest and throat of the animal.
Bronchitis in dogs: diagnosis
To determine the treatment regimen for bronchitis in a dog, it is necessary for the veterinarian to make a diagnosis based on the clinical picture of the disease and analyzes. Differential diagnostics are performed.
It is important for the doctor to establish for sure whether the ailment is a complication of any other disease. It is necessary to exclude infectious diseases (adenovirus, plague), as well as invasive (coccidosis).
Bronchitis in dogs: treatment
It is important to remember that in no case should you self-medicate, which can not only not help, but even harm the animal. Contacting a veterinarian in case of suspected bronchitis is a mandatory measure.
With bronchitis in dogs, symptomatic treatment is used - anti-expectorants, herbal preparations, such as licorice, marshmallow, coltsfoot, are prescribed. Good results are obtained with iodine preparations, which should be used to treat the animal for 2 weeks.
To prevent concomitant infections and eliminate inflammatory processes, the dog is prescribed antibiotics, which are desirable to be selected from the new generation of veterinary drugs. If the cause of the disease is an allergy, antihistamines, corticosteroids, asthmatol, etc. are prescribed.
It is advisable to minimize the time of walking the dog during the period of illness or even not to let the animal out into the street. Sick dogs must be placed in a warm, dry, draft-free environment. Food during the treatment period should be easily digestible and especially nutritious. It is preferable to give it in crushed form.
With bronchitis, a dog is shown liquid cereals, light soups, mashed potatoes, broths with chopped boiled meat, warm milk and other lactic acid foods at room temperature. If possible, physiotherapeutic procedures are also prescribed to the animal. The use of immunomodulating agents, multivitamin preparations and vitamins will also be effective.
Bronchitis in dogs: prevention
Bronchitis for a dog is quite a serious disease. Therefore, it is best to prevent the development of this ailment. For the prevention of bronchitis in an animal, a complex of general hygienic measures is important. To prevent the development of bronchitis, hardening of the dog is recommended.
In addition, your pet should be provided with good nutrition, a warm, dry and comfortable place without drafts, and reasonable exercise. To increase the efficiency of the bronchi and lungs, long walks (but not in frost and slush), jogging at a slow pace, and swimming are very good.
