[kansas sky]

Originally Posted by faderemi

Is a recently vaccinated dog infectious? My dog has just been vaccinated with anti rabies

Rabies is a serious threat to human (and animal) health. Of course your dog does not become infectious after his vaccine.

[the minx]

Colds are not zoonotic (or reverse zoonotic). If it appears that a human and a dog have a cold at the same time, possibly it's just allergies?

The animal hospital that I worked with had information on this kind of thing. Ask for it when you go next time.

[kansas sky]

I just came across an interesting tidbit. There's a relatively new canine flu going around. It jumped from horses a few years ago. They think one of the routes of transmission is through people, but people don't get sick from it they just carry it! Weird, huh?

I had a case a few years ago where this family could not get rid of strep throat. They were convinced that their dog was harboring it and kept reinfecting them. When I questioned them further, turns out that they never finished their antibiotics. They just stopped when they felt better. It's lucky none of them got more sick!

Anyway, for symptomatic illnesses as far as I know cold and flu don't go back and forth between dogs and cats and humans. (ferrets can get very sick from human flu viruses though)

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by kansas sky

,,,,,Anyway, for symptomatic illnesses as far as I know cold and flu don't go back and forth between dogs and cats and humans. (ferrets can get very sick from human flu viruses though)

It has been rumored that ferrets can get colds and flus from humans. I understand the current thought is flu only.
My mother and father have a ranch, they say horses and pigs can catch human colds and flus as well.

I think maybe the cold is confused with a lessor flu.

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by kansas sky

I just came across an interesting tidbit. There's a relatively new canine flu going around. It jumped from horses a few years ago. They think one of the routes of transmission is through people, but people don't get sick from it they just carry it! Weird, huh?

I had a case a few years ago where this family could not get rid of strep throat. They were convinced that their dog was harboring it and kept reinfecting them. When I questioned them further, turns out that they never finished their antibiotics. They just stopped when they felt better. It's lucky none of them got more sick!

Anyway, for symptomatic illnesses as far as I know cold and flu don't go back and forth between dogs and cats and humans. (ferrets can get very sick from human flu viruses though)

Bacterial infections can be transmitted from humans to canines and vice versa. Sometimes, a family canine is found to be the carrier of strep (when 1 or more family members have strep infections often) and has his/her tonsils removed.

Viruses are a different story. The CDC has tracked various species viruses for a while. If you want to watch the updates for yourself, here is the link to Canine Influenza, as per the CDC: CDC - Influenza (Flu) | Canine Influenza (Dog Flu) Q& A

Bird flu and swine flu are being watched so greatly now because recombinant parts of the molecular structure of A/H1N1 show different DNA material from 3 different species, and I believe it is the Swine component that came from two different continents. However, mutation is not the subject here.

As my DVM says, humans get their unique viruses and doggies can get theirs at the same time. However, that doesn't mean they are spreading the same virus back and forth between them.

Good questions, IMHO.

I hope this info helps.

MSR

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by hmitauer

I have a sinus infection (I think) and I am trying to cure myself with steam and salt water irrigation but I am worried that my son's dog will catch my cold. I admit I hug him and he jumps up and will get my face faster than I can pull away. I want to believe that I don't have to isolate myself from my pets (my son's dog and my cat) when I am sick. They are a real comfort to me when I feel really yucky.
Some advice please.

The series of human rhinoviruses pose no risk to dogs. I wouldn't worry about it.

[FiveHorses]

Originally Posted by Mtn. States Resident

However, mutation is not the subject here.

Yet.

Excellent post MSR. People forget to differentiate between viral and bacterial.

I've been waiting for someone to mention psittacosis... Ok, I'll mention it. Very transmittable between avian and human as it's bacterial (chlamydia).

[misfitz]

Interesting thread! I, too, have heard that dog & people colds are different viruses. Funny, though, whenever I have a cold my dog gets very lethargic as well. Sympathy pains?

A few days ago, I brought home a shelter kitten with a bit of a kitty cold. I'm going to great lengths to keep her isolated from the rest of the household pets, so it doesn't spread. Naturally, it seems like the only one besides her who's gotten sick is...me. (Probably allergies, but it's still kind of ironic.)

[Mtn. States Resident]

Originally Posted by FiveHorses

Yet.

Excellent post MSR. People forget to differentiate between viral and bacterial.

I've been waiting for someone to mention psittacosis... Ok, I'll mention it. Very transmittable between avian and human as it's bacterial (chlamydia).

Thanks, FiveHorses.

Ah, the Avian/Human connection. I never know how far to advance certain discussions. Given that this is a general forum it is hard for me to know to share information and motivate readers to learn the "right amount," about various bugs.

I think a lot of people hear the word "Chlamydia," and think only of an STD. I do think those who read have to be motivated to read for more complete information (if that makes sense).

Go for it, FiveHorses. Please share some info about psittacosis. Let me start by asking you some questions that perhaps will give us all a common level of comfort.

When scientists worry about the recombination of Aviana (Bird) Flu and H1N1 (Swine Flu) in heavily populated countires like China, is it Chlamydia (bacteria) scientists are worried about or is it a virus?

I'm looking forward to the discussion and what we all may learn.

MSR

[FiveHorses]

Originally Posted by Mtn. States Resident

Let me start by asking you some questions

ME??? MEEEE?!! What did I ever do to you?


Surely I jest. ("No, I'm not jesting and stop calling me Shirley!" for all you that can actually remember what movie that was from. This is good, a discussion about epidemiology and movie trivia all in one. )

People hear chlamydia and think STD which, isn't entirely unreasonable as it is the same bacteria. And it's a lot more reasonable than the posts that have been on here thinking that FIV is somehow transmitted from human to feline. Let us not ask how they think it's transmitted......

But now that I've mentioned that - it's a good counterpoint. Psittacosis vs. FIV -

Psittacosis is very transferable between avian and human as it's a bacteria. Symptoms in birds include diarrhea, "nasal" discharge, and wasting. (And let's face it, as soon as people see runny noses, they think "cold" or "flu"). If transferred to humans it will cause atypical pneumonia. Birds shed the bacteria in their droppings and can also be asymptomatic carriers. Testing is easy (collect fresh droppings in a sterile container and test) but can also provide false negatives - just because the bird isn't shedding the bacteria when tested doesn't mean the bird isn't carrying the bacteria. Bacteria = transferrable. It's also easy enough to prevent transfer; it's just a question of making sure you wash your hands!

Feline Immune deficiency Virus does to felines what HIV does to people (and I really do wish people wouldn't call it "cat AIDS"). Cats can be FIV+ with zero symptoms. It's a virus. A FIV+ cat can sink his/her teeth into you, break skin, draw blood, infect the nice, deep puncture wound with some nasty bacteria from its mouth, but the virus is not transferrable across species.

However... and I have no idea of the answer, but here's a good question: if you took a poll and asked Joe Public "If you had to guess, which do you think you could catch: FIV from cats or psittacosis from birds?" what do you reckon the answer would be? I personally think the answer might well be FIV. But I'm a cynic.

The recombinant flu viruses such as H1N1 or Avian Flu (what was that number? I forget) are so unusual and so worrying/interesting because they are, uniquely, transferrable across species. Also, because they're viruses treatment is that much harder.

Swine flu - albeit interesting to virologists - was all a bit of a storm in a tea cup fed by the media. Tabloids with the "The End is Nigh" type headlines only fed the fire, which wasn't much of a fire in the larger scheme of things. It's nowhere near as virulent as the bout of avian flu that swept across the world back in 05/06. (Trust my timing to have to relocate internationally with two parrots during the avian flu outbreak...)

Actually, here's a question for someone: have there been any reported incidents of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections in animals or is this still a human-only preserve for the time-being?