Can my dog catch my cold? If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, it’s time to be relived, because the answer is: “no”, your dog cannot catch a cold from you. Nevertheless, this is not the same with the flu. Whenever your nose runs and you feel like shivering, pay attention to your dog: he or she could get ill because of you!

Can my dog catch my cold or my flu?

Some of us might spend lots of time outdoors with our fluffy friend, also in winter.  Due to the cold temperatures, we could easily catch a cold and sometimes hard to tell when a simple cold it’s rather the flu in disguise.

Good to know: Before your cold turns into a more severe flu, it’s a good idea to keep a distance to the people around you.

Normally, this comes naturally. If we don’t feel healthy, we try to be less close to family members and friends. But, are we that cautious when it comes to keeping our distance to our dog as well? Not always. As there are cases of dogs falling ill because of a contracted human influenza, you should take preventive measures against this.

I have the flu: what should I do?

The answer to the question can my dog catch my cold is negative. But things are different when talking about the flu. If you caught the flu, you should keep distance to your dog.

Avoid feeding your dog and delegate this to another family member, when possible.

Make sure that your dog does not have access to your garbage and should you be the only person who could possibly feed your dog: wash your hands very carefully before opening your dog’s food and placing it in your dog’s bowl.

Can I get the flu from my dog?

So far, there are no reported cases of humans getting the flu from a dog. This will make you feel more comfortable when it comes to taking care of your ill dog. But first of all, how do you recognize if your dog is ill?

How to tell if your dog is not in good shape?

No matter the breed, dogs are generally full of energy. This makes it easier to understand when your pooch may not feel fit. Have a look at your dog. Your dog is ill if he:

  • Loses appetite and drinks less
  • Loses interest in common playing habits
  • Spends more time than usual laying down
  • He has a fever (proven by a warm and dry nose)
  • Breathing problems

Dogs usually recover after a couple of days. Should this not be the case, it’s always good to notify your trusted vet and get support and tips from him or her. Always keep trying to feed your dog, no matter if he or she may be put off by the sight of food. Slowly, your dog will regain his appetite again, and this will be the sign that you can finally affirm that your dog is healthy again.

General preventive measures for keeping your dog healthy

Dogs with weaker immune systems are generally more vulnerable to catching a disease, so think about keeping your dog healthy in all seasons:

  • Make sure your dog is always warm and dry
  • Beware of too long walks during icy temperatures in the cold season
  • Restrict their general time outdoors or equip them properly during winter time, since not all dogs tolerate the cold weather.

On the other side, during the hot summer day, don’t forget to keep your furry friend well hydrated with plenty of water and protect them from excessive heat. Keeping our little four-legged friends healthy is part of our dog parenting job!


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