How to tell if a dog has a cold or distemper?

A dog cold is usually from chills — common in winter or during big temperature swings, and after baths — causing upper-respiratory signs like cough, sneeze, runny nose, watery eyes, and reduced appetite, with fever only occasionally. Distemper brings systemic signs: besides possible cough and runny nose, there’s a high fever above 40°C, severe appetite loss, and lethargy, and in severe cases vomiting and diarrhea. The quickest way to tell is a distemper test strip plus a blood count.