The Cold Weather Diseases of Your Pet

The damp, chilly weather of December, January and February creates the perfect conditions for a greater incidence of certain type of diseases in your dogs, cats and birds. Because of their close relationship with humans, they become more prone to exposure, stress and consequently more susceptible to disease. Respiratory diseases are the most common at this time of the year.
In dogs distemper is the most serious threat. This disease is disseminated by small viral particles or aerosols from sick dogs that have contaminated the environment. When a susceptible dog, or a dog that is not properly vaccinated, inhales these viral particles that are polluting the air he contracts the disease. This is frequently precipitated by the dog becoming chilled. Even worse if in addition to being chilled the dog has gotten the hair coat wet, this situation will lower his body temperature considerably and thus his resistance to disease.
Distemper that is initially characterized by a mucopurulent discharge for the eyes and nose as well as a mild cough, causes the owners of these dogs to mistakenly believe that their dogs have a cold, similar to the human cold. Unfortunately this is not the case. CANINE DISTEMPER is much worse and in the majority of cases it has a fatal outcome.
Also at this time of year dogs, of the small breeds particularly, suffer from tonsillitis, throat infections and tracheobronchitis. Dogs that do a lot of barking, particularly guard dogs, or dogs that are exposed to other dogs such as those that are in training schools, boarding kennels, dog shows, etc., tend to suffer from TRACHEOBRONCHITIS , PARAINFLUENZA or INFLUENZA.
The throat and upper respiratory passages have an abundant bacterial flora, but in most cases all these germs remain inactive: however, when there is a drop in body defenses because of, for instance, chilling, the pet becomes more susceptible to come down with any of these conditions allowing the germs to become active and multiply, resulting in disease. (will continue)