The Common Cold and the Flu While humans and animals are both capable of developing symptoms that are typically associated with the common cold, the good news is that the likelihood of a person transmitting the illness to a dog is extremely low.
It is very unlikely that your dog will contract a cold from a human. If you have a sniffle or cough, you may be worried that you may pass the cold onto your companion, but you'll be glad to know that this isn't possible. Dogs are not affected by the common cold virus that infects humans.
But they're also exactly what can get your pet sick if you're fighting off the flu. Unlike the common cold, which cannot be spread from human to canine, the flu virus can jump between species. But just like humans, dogs can get a vaccine that will help prevent them from getting the flu.
Well, technically the answer is actually yes... It is possible, but very unlikely, so you don't need to be overly concerned about giving your dog a respiratory infection or getting one from your dog.
Because different strains of the bacteria are responsible for the illness in dogs than in humans, if a dog has strep throat, it's unlikely that they caught the illness from a person. Although there is the rare potential for a dog to pass a strep infection to a person through close contact, it would be very unlikely.
To date, there is no evidence of a contagious virus that causes upper respiratory infection that can cross species lines.
“The pet is a comfort, not a hazard,” said William Schaffner, M.D., professor of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt. Even somebody who pets the dog or cat after you is unlikely to catch your virus that way, and “you can't get a cold or the flu from your dog or cat,” Schaffner said.
The symptoms of a dog's cold are usually sneezing, nasal discharge, frequent licking of the nose and watering eyes, as well as tiredness. As soon as the first symptoms of illness appear, only take short walks. In wet weather, your dog should be throughly towelled dry after being outside and needs a lot of rest.
Canine influenza H3N8 viruses originated in horses, spread to dogs, and can now spread between dogs. H3N8 equine influenza (horse flu) viruses have been known to exist in horses for more than 40 years. In 2004, cases of an unknown respiratory illness in dogs (initially greyhounds) were reported in the United States.
Entertain your dog: Try interactive games, automatic ball launchers, hide and seek, or use a dog walker when you are feeling ill. If you're under the weather you can take a sick day from work, your boss will understand. You can cancel a night on the town and your friends will understand.
If you are sick with COVID-19 (either suspected or confirmed by a test), you should avoid contact with your pets and other animals, just like you would with people. Contact includes petting, snuggling, kissing, licking, sharing food, and sleeping in the same bed.
Illnesses Humans Can Pass To Dogs
Humans can infect dogs with the flu, bacterial infections, MRSA, tuberculosis, ringworm, and mumps. One of the main questions pet owners ask is if dogs can get the flu from humans. And the answer is yes, but only certain strains.
But the reality is, just like humans, your canine buddy is susceptible to a range of illnesses brought on by exposure to cold weather. Chief among these are hypothermia, frostbite, a cold, and kennel cough.
Dogs and cats do catch colds, and their symptoms are just like humans. Both may have discharge from their noses, “wet” or labored breathing from congestion, sneezing (especially wet sneezes), watery eyes and lethargy (napping more, showing low energy). The cold symptoms will likely last 5-10 days.
Like us, dogs can get a sore throat. It's rare, but canines can also have tonsillitis. If you notice your dog licking his lips and making swallowing motions, and he has a high pitched gagging cough, it could be a sign of a sore throat, or an indication he has something caught in his throat.
Contagious virus particles are shed from the upper respiratory tract of infected dogs for 7-10 days and are present in all respiratory secretions (e.g. nasal discharge, saliva, even the aerosols that are produced from coughing and sneezing).
Based on the preliminary studies, yes, dogs can get the flu from humans. However, it is highly uncommon. Additionally, viruses change and evolve over the years, which may explain why epidemics and pandemics do not occur continuously.
The virus can spread from people to animals during close contact. More studies and surveillance are needed to understand how SARS-CoV-2 is spread between people and animals. People with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 should avoid contact with animals, including pets, livestock, and wildlife.
You're in the clear when flu season rolls around, but the question at hand is, “Can dogs get sick from humans?” The answer is yes. Though cases of a dog contracting a disease from a human are quite rare, they are still reported.
The region is in the midst of an unusual outbreak of canine influenza, a highly contagious virus that can mirror symptoms of “kennel cough,” according to local veterinarians, who first noticed a trend of dogs testing positive in early January.
Dogs cannot get bronchitis from humans, nor can it be passed from dogs to humans. It is also not infectious or contagious to other dogs; dogs with chronic bronchitis will not pass it on to other dogs.
Upper respiratory infections in dogs are highly contagious and spread through dog-to-dog contact and direct contact with infected objects, such as toys and bowls.
However, dogs can acquire a transient infection with this bacterium when they are in contact with a human with strep throat. "Although they do not get strep throat, they may harbor the bacterium and serve as a source of infection for humans."