Traditional Chinese Medicine Remedies for Dog Cold Reli

According to traditional Chinese veterinary medicine, the common cold in dogs is caused by the invasion of the six pathogenic factors into the canine body, leading to illness.

The six pathogenic factors refer to the six types of harmful energies naturally present in the environment, including wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, and fire.

Among these, wind is considered the primary factor, being the main cause of the common cold. This is why the common cold was also historically known as "wind damage." Common causes include sudden changes in weather, irregular temperatures, and external pathogens侵入 the body.

Other factors may include improper care, overexertion, weakened constitution, exposure to cold winds, and lung conditions such as phlegm and heat, which can make the dog susceptible to external pathogens.

The common cold in dogs is generally categorized into four types: WindCold, WindHeat, SummerDampness, and Epidemic Cold.

1. WindCold Cold

The primary symptoms include severe nasal congestion, sneezing, clear discharge, throat itching, lack of thirst, coughing, and thin, watery phlegm. Dogs may also exhibit a feeling of coldness and slight fever, with a pale tongue, thin white coating, and floating or tense pulse. This is due to the invasion of wind and cold into the lungs, causing the lung Qi to fail to disperse and the Yang of the lung to be suppressed. Treatment should focus on expelling the exterior with acrid and warm herbs and dispersing cold. Herbs like Jing Fang Bai Du San can be used, along with Chinese patent medicines such as Feng Han Gan Mai Keli, Gan Mai Qing Re Keli, Jing Fang Keli, and Gan Mai Ruan Jiao Nang. It is important to avoid using herbs like Sang Ju Yin, Yin Qiao San, Ling Qiao Gan Mai Pian, and Fang Fang Gan Mai Pian for dogs with windcold cold.

2. WindHeat Cold

The main symptoms are severe fever, slight aversion to cold, yellow nasal discharge, thirst, sore throat, coughing, yellow, sticky phlegm, a red tongue with a thin yellow coating, and a floating rapid pulse. This is due to windheat affecting the lung first, leading to the obstruction of Wei Qi and the failure of the lung to descend, resulting in injury to the body fluid and heat. Treatment should involve expelling the exterior with acrid and cool herbs and clearing the lung heat. Herbs like Yin Qiao San and Sang Ju Yin can be used, along with Chinese patent medicines such as Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian, Ling Qiao Gan Mai Pian, Sang Ju Gan Mai Pian, Ban Lan Gen Chong Ji, and Fang Fang Chuan Xin Lian Pian. For mild cases, Gan Mai Qing Re Chong Ji can be used, while severe fever may require Yin Qiao San or Chai Hu Oral Liquid. For slight fever, Sang Ju Gan Mai Pian can be used, and for sore throat, Qing Kai Ling Capsules or Shuang Huang Lian Oral Liquid, which have good清热解毒 effects. It is important to avoid using herbs like Ji Wei Jiang Hu Tang and Li Fei Wan for dogs with windheat cold.

3. SummerDampness Cold

This type of cold is more common in summer and is characterized by symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, irritability, thirst, nasal congestion with clear discharge, coughing with yellow phlegm, abdominal distension, decreased appetite, dark yellow urine, and a thin greasy tongue coating. This is due to the invasion of summer heat and dampness, leading to the external exudation of body fluid and heat injury, causing thirst, and the disturbance of the heart and chest by the summer evil, leading to irritability. Treatment should focus on clearing summer heat and promoting dampness. Herbs like Xin Jia Xiang Ru Yin can be used, along with Chinese patent medicines such as Huo Xiang Zheng Ruan Jiao Nang. If gastrointestinal symptoms are severe, it is not advisable to use herbs like Bao He Wan or Xiang Sha Yang Wei Wan.

4. Epidemic Cold

Epidemic cold, also known as influenza, is more common in winter and spring and has a high contagious rate. It presents with mild respiratory symptoms and significant systemic symptoms. The symptoms can be severe and may change, with the potential for heat transformation and the onset of other diseases. Symptoms include sudden chills, severe cold, high fever, body aches, severe headache, fatigue, depression, a desire to lie down, dry mouth, and thirst, possibly accompanied by coughing. The tongue may be red with a yellow coating, and the pulse may be floating and slippery and strong. Treatment should involve clearing heat, expelling wind, and resolving toxins. Herbs like Qing Wen Bao Du San, Ling Qiao Jie Du Pian, Ban Lan Gen Keli, AntiVirus Keli, Shuang Huang Lian, Chuan Hu Ning, or Zhong Gan Ling Pian can be used. Using herbs like Yin Qiao San, Sang Ju Yin, or Niuhuang Jie Du Pian alone may not be as effective. The classification of canine colds should be based on clinical symptoms, the severity of aversion to cold and fever, thirst or no thirst, whether there is a sore throat, and the color and coating of the tongue, distinguishing between windcold and windheat types. Epidemic cold is often classified as a windheat type. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial for effective management and to prevent the worsening of the condition.