Can puppies catch diseases from cats? A Complete Guide

Can Dogs Get Respiratory Infections From Cats?

People may think because dogs usually catch respiratory infections or kennel cough from kennels, that it must come from dogs. But, in actual fact, dogs absolutely can catch the infection from cats too! Read on to better understand the symptoms, how the infection spreads, and the treatment options.

How do I treat my dog’s illness from cats?

Because most diseases are specific for each species, they often dont pass from one species to another. If your cat is sick and youre worried that your dog may contract an illness, be sure to talk to your veterinarian. If your cat has any of the conditions listed above, such as parasites, you may want to treat your dog while youre treating your cat for preventive care or to stop the condition from getting worse in your dog as you treat your cat. For most of those common diseases that can be passed from your cat to your dog, treatment will be very similar for both of your pets. Be sure to check out our condition guides to learn more about treatment options and to get advice from an in-house veterinarian.

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How Can We Safely Care for a Pet?

Here are some tips to help your family safely care for pets:

After you choose a family pet, take it to a veterinarian for vaccinations and an exam. Schedule regular checkups and routine vaccinations for your pet as recommended. This will keep your pet healthy and lower the chances that it can spread an infection to your family.

Teach your children to wash their hands after touching pets, handling your pets food, or cleaning your pets cage, tank, or litter box. Wear gloves when cleaning up animal waste. If you have a bird, wear a dust mask over your nose and mouth when cleaning the cage or coop. Dont let kids clean cages or litter boxes until they’re older and know how to do this safely and responsibly.

Have kids wash their hands after visiting petting zoos, farms, or friends’ houses where there are animals.

Remind family members to avoid kissing or touching your pet’s mouth because infections can spread through saliva.

Keep your pets living area clean and free of waste. If your pet goes outdoors, pick up waste regularly and dont let kids play in that area.

If possible, keep pets out of areas where food is prepared or handled, and dont bathe your pet or clean aquariums in the kitchen sink or bathtub. Wash your pet outdoors or consider professional pet grooming.

Avoid strange animals or those that look sick. Never adopt a wild animal as a pet.

Watch kids carefully around pets. Young kids are more likely to catch infections from pets because they crawl around on the floor with the animals, kiss them or share food with them, and put their fingers and things in their mouths that may be contaminated.

Talk to your doctor if you have questions about infections from pets. If you have concerns about your pet’s health, talk to your veterinarian.

How pets transmit diseases to humans

They may share your attention, an occasional snuggle together, and space on your sofa, but generally, there arent many diseases a dog can catch from a cat. Though they cant share a cold or flu, dogs and cats are at risk for transmitting parasites to one another and may share certain cat to dog diseases. Fortunately, good preventive care will minimize most of the risk. If your dog shows symptoms that hes picked up something from your cat, hell need his own treatment from the vet.

The flea is efficient in just about every way, jumping on and off animals as he pleases and often leaving his mark. Often that means red skin, excessive itching and sometimes secondary infections and flea allergy dermatitis, according to Orkin. The tick is able to behave similarly, moving from host to host, putting your pet at risk for Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Fortunately, theres a host of effective preventives on the market to keep fleas and ticks away from your cat and dog, according to 2ndChance.info.

Sometimes they have a disagreement, or they may engage in rough play, and the cat may sink her teeth into the family dog. Your cats pointy canine teeth are effective weapons, causing puncture wounds that become welcoming pockets for infection. Your dog may end up with an abscess from a tussle with the family cat.

Signs of an abscess include a painful bump at the wound, fever and lethargy. Occasionally the abscess will break through the skin, emitting a nasty odor and pus. According to Vetstreet, an abscess requires veterinary treatment, including prescription antibiotics.

One of the feline diseases that could spread to your dog is ringworm. Its one of the cat to dog diseases you may encounter. Despite the name “ringworm,” this disease isnt a parasite but is a fungus, showing scaly, red rings on the skin. Ringworm typically presents on the face, ear tips, paws and tail. If your cat has ringworm, she can share it with you and your dog, warns 2ndChance.info. It doesnt take much to share ringworm — just a scrape or a scratch releases the fungus spores.

Its not unusual for a carrier pet to show no signs; some pets never become infected, despite exposure to the fungus. It takes months, but the condition eventually will clear itself, however you can hasten the process with thorough cleaning and disinfecting. There is a vaccine, however its quite limited in use. Ultimately the best prevention is common sense, including not sharing grooming equipment, bedding, and cages. This will prevent any feline diseases like ringworm from becoming one of the unpleasant cat to dog diseases that youll deal with.

Parasite infection is fairly common in cats and dogs because theyre so easily shared. Its one of the cat to dog diseases you may deal with. The most common parasites in pets are hookworm, roundworm, tapeworm and whipworm, according to petMD. The tapeworm is spread by an infected flea that your dog can ingest through routine grooming. The other common worms are spread through stool, where the worms microscopic eggs find their way into the outside world from your pets intestinal tract.

Though its unpleasant to think of your beloved pet eating poop, sometimes it happens — likely on purpose with your dog — or from grooming. Your pet unwittingly ingests eggs that perpetuate the cycle in his intestines. Diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss and a poor coat are signs of parasite infection. Cleaning up after your pets minimizes the chance of exposure. Regular veterinary checks and prescription wormers as needed will keep your pets parasite-free.

One of the dog diseases that can be transmitted to humans is rabies. Rabies is a dangerous virus that can infect your cat, dog and you. An infected animal transmits the virus through a bite or scratch, or through contaminated saliva coming in contact with mucus membranes or a fresh, open wound, according to the ASPCA. Bats, raccoons, foxes and skunks are the most common carriers.

If your cat hasnt been vaccinated and picked up the virus, she can transmit it to your dog. It takes two weeks to two months for symptoms to present; initial symptoms include apprehension, irritability and snappishness. The virus progresses making the animal extremely sensitive to sounds, light and touch; disorientation and staggering may occur, as well as seizures, eventually followed by death. Fortunately, rabies vaccinations are effective at preventing outbreaks among house pets, preventing dog diseases that might be transmitted to humans.

Though your dog is prone to two types of mange — sarcoptic and demodectic — hes only vulnerable to catching sarcoptic mange from your cat. The parasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei is the culprit for sarcoptic mange, resulting in a very itchy dog with red scaly skin and hair loss, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. It usually starts in areas where your dog doesnt have much hair, such as his abdomen, ear flaps and elbows, but if not properly treated it can spread all over his body.

There are a variety of treatment options, including spot-on treatments, oral and injectable medications and dips available from the vet to treat and prevent sarcoptic mange.

Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.