Quiet, sneezing dog.

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi Lori and thanks for your question. Sorry to hear that Ginger is not well.

This is a tough one to answer without actually seeing Ginger but I can give you a few ideas.

My first concern is that she may have picked up a respiratory virus such as kennel cough. While kennel cough usually causes a cough I have seen some dogs who just develop a sneeze or runny nose.

If it is kennel cough most dogs get over it on their own within a few days to possibly a couple of weeks. However, if it starts to affect her appetite or if you are noticing a green discharge from her nose then she may need to see the vet to get some antibiotics.

Another possibility is if your girl has an infection in a tooth root. This can sometimes be hard to find. You can try pressing on each of her top teeth to see if any of them seem sore.

Some dogs can get a foreign object in their nose such as a blade of grass, however, this shouldn't cause her to be lethargic.

It's likely not anything serious and it is probably ok to keep an eye on her for now. Again, if she does not want to eat or if she is having a green discharge, or if she is much more lethargic then a vet visit is a good idea.

Hope she does well!
Dr. Marie.

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Dr. Marie replied:

You're very welcome Lori. I don't think having another dog in the house in heat should make Ginger lethargic. It does really sound like there is a medical issue going on.

One point of concern, if she does have kennel cough it can be contagious to your other dogs. However, there is not much you can do to prevent it as it is spread via the air.

Hope they all do ok!

Dr. Marie.

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry I wasn't able to reply last night...I had gone offline (to go to bed).

Dogs don't really get colds, but a virus such as kennel cough or possibly parainfluenza (which is similar to and even a part of kennel cough) can cause cold-like symptoms.

Another possible thought if she has a gunky discharge from her nose is a fungal infection in the nose but this is relatively uncommon.