It can be caused by a virus or bacteria and can occur in any age or breed of dog. The symptoms usually start with fever (over 103° F / 39.4° C), lethargy, decreased appetite, runny nose and coughing.
Treatment of Pneumonia in Dogs
Conventional treatment of dog pneumonia is usually with drugs to treat the fever, suppress the cough and treat the bacteria (if it was caused by bacteria). These treatments are not recommended as they only serve to suppress the symptoms which are the body’s natural way of fighting off the illness.
Instead of drugs or conventional cough syrup, help your dog’s body fight the illness using natural, holistic means:
- Plenty of rest
- Plenty of fluids
- Fast your dog (no food) for two to three days following appropriate dog fasting guidelines. This will divert your dog’s energy away from digesting food and towards fighting off the dog pneumonia.
- Administer vaporizer treatment or place your dog in a steam-filled bathroom
- Supplementing their diet with vitamin E for dogs and vitamin C for dogs
- Consider using a homeopathic remedy to relieve coughing and sneezing, clear the chest and support the immune system. KC-Defense from PetAlive is a good option.
Dog Pneumonia Prevention
First, keep your dog as isolated as possible since the infection can spread to other pets or even humans.
Bolstering your dog’s immune system by following the Organic-Pet-Digest-supported approach of a healthy dog food diet, appropriate dog dietary supplementation, minimal dog vaccinations, good dog dental hygiene, plenty of exercise and lots of love is your best bet towards keeping your dog pneumonia-free!
Taking extra precautions before your dog will be around a lot of other dogs – such as before boarding or if your dog frequents the dog park – is also a good idea. Naturally boosting their immune system through supplements such as KC-Defense (as mentioned above) is a good preventive measure to take.
If you’re not sure whether your dog has pneumonia or some other illness, click here to ask us through our My Online Vet Ask-the-Veterinarian service, you can submit a picture of your dog dog along with details about their condition, including:
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