Effective Treatments for Cats & Dogs with Pharyngitis

Section 1: Causes of Canine and Feline Pharyngitis

Primary pharyngitis in cats and dogs is relatively rare. Most cases of primary pharyngitis are triggered by physical or chemical irritants. This can include injuries from swallowing bones, fish bones, or other foreign objects, burns from hot foods or hot water, ingestion of frozen foods, or accidental consumption of strongly irritant medications.

Secondary pharyngitis often arises from other conditions such as feline stomatitis, tonsillitis, colds, or inflammation of adjacent tissues and organs. Diseases like rabies, canine distemper, canine infectious hepatitis, and vitamin A deficiency can also present with symptoms of pharyngitis.

Section 2: Symptoms of Canine and Feline Pharyngitis

The early symptoms of pharyngitis in cats and dogs include a slow eating pace, which may eventually lead to difficulty in eating and swallowing, or even complete refusal to eat. Pets may exhibit symptoms such as dry swallowing, drooling, vomiting, swelling of the throat and submandibular lymph nodes. If the pain is severe, pets may even avoid drinking water. When the owner touches the throat of a pet with pharyngitis, the pet may shy away and may repeatedly cough after the touch. Some affected dogs or cats may also show systemic symptoms, such as fatigue, refusal to eat, coughing, and elevated body temperature.

Without complications, most cases of canine and feline pharyngitis can be cured within 7 to 14 days with appropriate treatment.

Section 3: Diagnostic Methods

Diagnosis is based on symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, swelling of the throat, and sensitivity to touch.

Section 4: Treatment Methods

The treatment principle for canine and feline pharyngitis is to enhance care and inflammation reduction.

1. Strengthen the feeding management of the affected animals. Place the sick cat or dog in a warm, dry, and wellventilated environment for rest. For cats and dogs with mild diseases, feeding them liquid food and encouraging them to drink more can help alleviate symptoms; for those with more severe symptoms, fasting is necessary. They should receive intravenous injections of 10% to 25% glucose solution, along with vitamin supplements or nutritional enemas.

2. Eliminate inflammation. Administer appropriate medications by muscle injection to help reduce inflammation. In the early stages, apply cold compresses, and after two to three days, switch to hot compresses, applying them for about two hours each day.

That's all the information from Dr. Oxygen about canine and feline pharyngitis. We hope this helps you better understand pet pharyngitis. While it's not a major illness, taking proper preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of your beloved pets falling ill. Wishing all our little companions good health and happiness!