My dogs have runny noses and sneeze. Is it a cold or serious?

It sounds like Bailey may have a minor respiratory infection or allergies - both of these are common causes of a runny nose and sneezing in dogs. In most cases, this problem will resolve on its own so as long as he is eating and drinking fine, active, and not having any other symptoms, it should be okay to monitor him at home for the next few days. You can try bringing him into the bathroom with you with the door closed while you take a hot shower, if you like - the steam and humidity will often help to relieve nasal congestion and temporarily improve his symptoms. If the discharge becomes yellow or green in color, or if he begins acting lethargic or not wanting to eat, I would recommend having him examined by a vet as he may need prescription antibiotics to treat the infection.

Poor guy. Upper respiratory infections in dogs are usually caused by a bacterial infection. Other possible causes are a fungal infection, or allergies. It's best to take him to the vet to get examined and medications to treat this. If he does have an upper respiratory infection then he will be prescribed oral antibiotics to take care of it. I hope he gets well soon!

The most likely causes are an infection or allergies. An object stuck in the nose is possible but typically tends to be one sided and will start to have greenish discharge. If she starts to get worse or doesn’t get better, have her examined by her veterinarian. Hope she continues improving. Please feel free to post any additional questions.

It could be an upper respiratory tract infection, allergies, something stuck in the nasal cavity, among a few other things. If Dior is otherwise normal, I would continue to monitor him at home for signs of illness, such as lethargy, rectal temperature over 103, coughing, decreased appetite, etc. If these occur, then he should definitely get checked out by a vet.

Poor Roxy! I can definitely see the dry discharge from both nostrils. You’re right in saying that this can be caused by an upper respiratory infection. In most cases these infections cannot be transmitted to people or from people to dogs. These are very common in dogs, and can easily be treated with antibiotics prescribed by a veterinarian. Unfortunately, nasal discharge can be caused by several other diseases such as a nasal foreign body or mass, or even pneumonia. Your vet can do some blood work and x-rays to determine the exact cause of Roxy’s nasal discharge. You should have her seen immediately if she begins acting lethargic, loses her appetite, or you believe she’s having trouble breathing.

This sounds like she has a mild cold or upper respiratory infection. Generally these are viral colds and will run their course over a week or so. Just like with us no antibiotics are needed unless she develops a secondary bacterial infection. If the discharge becomes green and her condition worsens then please bring her right in for treatment. She could give this to other dogs so letting her rest at home until she recovers is the best plan. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Sydney.

I'm wondering if she actually has a productive cough - a cough can sound very similar to attempted vomiting in a dog and they will often retch at the end and produce a small amount of white foam. This would go along with the runny nose that you're seeing. You should see your vet - this could be a sign of an upper respiratory infection, an infection like kennel cough, or even pneumonia. Even if she has not been around other dogs and she is the only one showing symptoms at this point an infection is still possible.