I have a little puggle dog, she is so loved, and during the Covid 19 pandemic she started coughing. I checked with a vet at a Melbourne Specialist Veterinary Clinic and he said she could be outside, perhaps with a jacket on, until it got to 5 degrees or below and then to, if you can perhaps put them in an outdoor shed with cardboard on the floor or in your laundry.
All animals want warmth, just like we do, so PLEASE, if it is below 5 degrees C, please bring them inside your shed with heating or house laundry perhaps on a mat and dry them off with a towel, unless they have a heated outdoor mat and kennel.
If you don't mind having them inside, on a tiled floor so if they mess it isn't an issue.
I am so glad I took her to the vet because they were able to explain that even dogs can get respiratory viruses, that could lead to pneumonia.
The amazing vet who specialised in internal veterinary science, was able to do a bronchoscopy and also, somehow suck out the mucus in the internal lung walls....but unfortunately also found collapsing airways (which we can't do much about but make sure she doesn't get too cold).
I was so happy with the veterinary clinic as they were fantastic and she is ok, thank God!
Unfortunately rural or regional vets don't have the tools to do this for larger animals like calves so we lose many to colds that become secondary viruses like fluid in the lungs or pneumonia. Not sure about you but when I think of a little calf that doesn't get the opportunity to turn into a fully grown one tonne bull and I am devastated.
Why Is Calcium & It's Origin So Important?
In my time on the planet so far, I have been lucky enough to spend time on farms with both dairy cattle and beef cattle.
In that time, I have noticed some very interesting things.
I adore baby calves, and their Mothers.
Keep in mind whilst reading that some of this information is relevant for domestic animals too.
Some baby calves, just like human babies, cannot feed properly or find the teets to attach to and I have footage of a newly born calf not being able to.
This can be so sad, as in hotter months of the year, they can dehydrate and may require a trip to the vet and a drip costing several hundreds of dollars.
A possible way of getting around this is using colostrum ice blocks to put in dairy cows water bowls or an in hand feeding tube or apparatus.
Please look for cough and cold symptoms in your animals, and please try and get them to the vet sooner rather than later as you might just save their lives, especially if it gets into their chests, look out for that chesty cough or breathing issues.
Having said this, most will be alright, but please ensure you watch for ear infections too, as nasty ones can be very painful and can take out their hearing after a cold, if not caught and treated in time. Their ears can be flushed out with water via a high pressure syringe squirting it in the canal to clear out any yucky bits that are. Having said this, it is best to be done by a professional.
If you are sick or have a virus or are unwell, I would suggest that you wear gloves and perhaps even a mask to handle your animals as there is a possibility that they can catch our viruses and colds, which was confirmed by a veterinary specialist...
There is now a gel that can be left in their ears permanently.
There are a couple of ways of checking for ear infections, one is a smell from their ears, another is when they shake their heads from side to side, or scratch at their ears, and another is a sinus type of infection.
Perhaps be careful of animals, especially dogs sharing a water bowl as they could both become unwell, (just like us sharing a water bottle)!
Anyway, our dog recovered and was wormed a few weeks later as this was the next step to ensure internal health.
All of this can happen to humans too, so perhaps make it a priority to get coughs checked for fluid in the lungs and also, worm your self and your children soon, especially after they have had a cold or flu.
An extra blanket on the couch or on a dog/human bed can help, so can a jumper or jacket which covers their chests, particularly after exercise, or in the cooler evening or night air.
If you think of it this way, would you risk losing your pet? Even rabbits and guinea pigs are susceptible.
Just on this, rabbits in particular should be brought into a room inside that has been cleared out of cords and anything they can bite or get their teeth into , because otherwise they are susceptible to mosquito bites and could end up with myxomatosis which is basically Rabbit cruel and nasty virus.
Sometimes if a cow does not feed well so farmers have to put the calf on formula straight away.
Be careful that cold or flue type contagions do not contaminate the formula milk accidentally, which I have heard from a vet, is possible.
It is possible to hand feed all of the animals, including the calf and fully grown bull and steers.
It is best not to breed new calves or sheep or horses in the colder months where possible. They can grow the thickest coat of hair after a few months, and I wonder if perhaps it gets this thick because it was cold...I don't know, but perhaps it is possible for a species that is normally bred in the hotter months to adapt to the cold a little out of necessity?!
Methane that cows let off is an issue, and many farmers and scientists are currently looking into what diets can help and I cannot remember where I got this information, or I would quote it, but from my research, perhaps seaweed might help, along with some lucerne, which is a type of hay (but not too much as it may upset their tummies).
When drinking milk I drink A2 where possible.
Oat milks or rice milks are as these last longer at a farm property, are easier to store and don't need to be frozen as they have a longer shelf life than most milks.
We, as a nation, are very passionate about our animals, and each other. Let's work together to save as many animals, in particular livestock, as we can, along with our domestic animals.
Please ensure you stay alert and watch for issues with your pets!!
We acknowledge our traditional elders of the land, in writing this post.
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