Cold season: Can owners, dogs and cats infect each other?

Dusseldorf. With the cold season, colds also increase again. Pet owners may be wondering whether dogs, cats, etc. can become infected from them or, conversely, whether they can become infected from their pet. But that is unlikely or even impossible.

When we talk about a cold, in medical terms it is usually a flu-like infection. This is an infection of the upper respiratory tract and typical symptoms include cough, runny nose, sore throat and fever. The causative cold viruses include a variety of different pathogens. They spread when sneezing and coughing and are transmitted from person to person.

A distinction must be made between flu and influenza. Although the symptoms partially overlap with those of the common cold, the flu comes on suddenly and the common cold occurs gradually. Influenza viruses are always the cause of the flu. In a few cases, transmission to dogs, for example, has been proven, but they have not become ill.

Can pets get infected from us?
“It is very unlikely that our pets will catch a cold or flu from us or vice versa. Dogs and cats can also show cold-like symptoms, but the pathogens that cause them are usually species-specific,” explains Dr. Friederike Klenk, internist and cardiologist for small and pet animals at the Oberhaching Veterinary Clinic. So if you have a cold yourself and your dog or cat also shows cold symptoms a little later, it's more of a coincidence and the causes of the respective infections differ.

Cold symptoms in dogs and cats
Depending on the severity and duration of the symptoms, you should have your pet examined by a veterinarian. You should go to a veterinary practice immediately, especially if you have severe, acute respiratory symptoms such as shortness of breath.

“In dogs there is primarily the disease complex of canine infectious trachebronchitis, previously also known as kennel cough,” says the specialist. “The disease usually becomes noticeable through a characteristic cough. Young animals and animals with weakened immune systems in particular become ill more often. Supportive therapy that combats the symptoms can provide relief. In general, however, it is a self-limiting disease, so it heals without any special therapy.”

In cats, on the other hand, it is the so-called cat cold complex. Here too, symptoms primarily affect the respiratory tract, and there can also be discharge from the eyes and nose. The pathogens are identified and treated specifically with a throat swab.

“Both dogs and cats can be protected with a vaccination against at least some typical pathogens of cat cold or canine infectious tracheobronchitis,” says Dr. Klenk.

How to properly handle pets when they have a cold
Even if the transmission of colds between humans and pets is unlikely, general hygiene guidelines should be followed. Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the animal and do not allow a dog or cat to lick their face or hands.

If the animal is sick, it primarily needs rest in order to recover and regain its strength. That's why the dog's walk can be shorter and the cat might prefer to rest rather than play. While there is no risk of infection for humans, animals can spread the pathogens to other animals. Contact with strange animals outside and with any other animals in your own household should be prevented accordingly.

However, if owners are so weak that they can hardly get out of bed, it is ideal if friends or acquaintances can take care of the animals' needs in the meantime.