Have you ever wondered if your pet can get the flu? The answer is yes. But unlike the dreaded flu season for humans, dogs and cats can suffer from their version of the flu year-round. The good news is that your pet can’t catch the human flu, and vice versa.
The dog version of the flu is known as Canine Cough (often incorrectly referred to as “Kennel Cough”.).
It is actually more akin to Whooping Cough, which caused by a similar organism called Bordetella bronchiseptica.
Canine Cough is a highly-contagious disease that is air-born, passed from dog to dog by moisture droplets. It is possible for your dog to potentially become infected from another dog at the park, out for a walk, or even in the back yard, not just boarding kennels. Vaccination is simple, effective and given annually. The vaccination provides adequate protection to prevent the worst complication of infection which is pneumonia. It is important to realise that your dog can still contract milder forms of the disease. Generally we can provide something to ease their symptoms and in a few cases a short course of antibiotics may be needed to help them recover.
Cat Flu is an upper respiratory infection, similar to the flu in humans. It is caused by a number of viruses and bacteria, feline herpesvirus and calicivirus account for 80% of cases. Other causes include Bordetella, Chlamydophilia, and Mycoplasma. Many stray cats and those who contract cat flu before being vaccinated will carry the virus for life.
It is also highly contagious and can cause severe illness, especially in kittens or elderly cats or cats with a compromised immune system. Vaccination is highly effective, and while it won’t always prevent cats from developing flu, it helps reduce the severity of the condition and reduces shedding of the virus, decreasing the likelihood of transmission to other cats. This vaccination must be given annually.
