Flu Season for Humans, Flu Exposure for Pets

By Kim Bradley, Paws 4 Safety

As temperatures begin to drop, we start hearing familiar reminders about flu season. Get your flu shot, wash your hands, and stay home when you're sick. But did you know our pets can also develop influenza? While human flu is commonly associated with a particular time of year, canine influenza is more closely associated with the places dogs visit and the other dogs they encounter. Canine influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza A viruses. Dogs can become infected through respiratory droplets and close contact with infected dogs. Boarding kennels, grooming facilities, dog parks, shelters, training classes, and daycare centers are places where exposure can occur.

An infected dog may spread the virus before showing obvious signs of illness. Shared bowls, toys, and contaminated surfaces can also contribute to transmission.

Symptoms to watch for sometimes resemble those we associate with human flu, including coughing, sneezing, a runny nose, fever, fatigue, and reduced appetite. Some dogs also develop eye discharge.

However, not every coughing dog has influenza. Kennel cough and other respiratory infections can produce similar symptoms. A veterinarian may recommend testing, particularly when a dog has recently been around other dogs or an outbreak is suspected.

Will It Go Away on Its Own?

Most dogs recover from canine influenza within two to three weeks, although coughing may persist longer. Some dogs develop secondary bacterial infections or pneumonia, which can become serious.

Treatment generally focuses on supportive care, including rest, hydration, and monitoring. Depending on the dog's condition, a veterinarian may recommend additional treatment. Antibiotics do not treat influenza viruses, but they may be prescribed when a secondary bacterial infection is present.

NEVER give your dog human cold or flu medication without veterinary approval. This can be dangerous or even fatal to pets.

And in Case You Were Wondering About Cats…

Yes, cats can get sick with respiratory infections too! However, "cat flu" usually isn't influenza at all. It's most often caused by feline herpesvirus or calicivirus. Symptoms can include sneezing, runny eyes, nasal discharge, fever, and loss of appetite.

Cats can also contract certain actual influenza viruses, although this is less common. The important thing to remember is that respiratory illness in cats deserves attention too, particularly when symptoms persist, breathing becomes difficult, or a cat stops eating.

Can Pet Flu Be Prevented?

Prevention begins with awareness. Avoid exposing your pet to animals showing signs of respiratory illness. Ask boarding facilities and daycare providers about their vaccination requirements, cleaning practices, and procedures for separating sick animals.

Vaccines are available for canine influenza, although they are not necessarily recommended for every dog. Your veterinarian can help determine whether your dog's lifestyle and exposure risk justify vaccination.

Routine feline vaccinations help protect cats against common respiratory viruses, but they do not protect against influenza itself.

If your pet develops respiratory symptoms, call your veterinarian before arriving at the clinic. This allows the staff to take precautions to protect other patients.

REMEMBER: Human flu season reminds us to protect ourselves, but our pets depend on us to recognize their risks throughout the year. Knowing where exposure occurs, recognizing symptoms early, and seeking appropriate veterinary guidance can help prevent a minor illness from becoming something more serious.

A special thank-you to the community newspapers and publications that share the Paws 4 Safety column with their readers. By making practical pet safety information available to local families, you help us build safer, better-prepared communities for people and their pets.

Beyond the Newspaper Column: More About Influenza and Our Pets

The Transmission Myth: Can You Give Your Dog the Flu?

Here's a question many pet owners have probably wondered about while home sick with the flu: Can my dog catch this from me?

The answer requires distinguishing between human seasonal influenza and canine influenza.

Two influenza A strains have historically been associated with canine influenza:

• H3N8, which originated in horses and adapted to dogs. It was identified in U.S. dogs in 2004 but has not been reported since 2016.

• H3N2, which originated in birds and adapted to dogs. It was first identified in U.S. dogs in 2015 and has caused localized outbreaks.

Even though humans and dogs can both experience influenza, the viruses that ordinarily circulate in each species are different. The canine H3N2 strain is not the same as the seasonal H3N2 strain that infects humans.

According to the CDC, there have been no reported human infections with canine influenza viruses anywhere in the world.

But that doesn't mean influenza viruses can never cross species. Human influenza viruses have occasionally infected dogs, although this is not how canine influenza normally spreads. Influenza viruses can evolve, which is one reason scientists monitor them.

The practical takeaway? Your dog's greatest routine risk of canine influenza comes from exposure to infected dogs, not from sitting beside you while you recover from the seasonal flu.

The Cat Twist: Dog Flu Can Sometimes Become Cat Flu

Here's an interesting fact: although canine influenza primarily affects dogs, the H3N2 canine strain has also been documented spreading from dogs to cats.

This has occurred particularly in environments where animals are housed together, such as shelters.

That means a cat exposed to an infected dog may occasionally develop actual influenza, not simply one of the more common respiratory infections collectively called "cat flu."

Cats can also become infected with certain human and avian influenza viruses.

One particularly important distinction is H5N1 avian influenza, sometimes called bird flu. It is different from canine influenza and can cause severe, sometimes fatal illness in cats.

Pet owners can help reduce exposure by keeping cats away from sick or dead birds and avoiding raw meat and unpasteurized dairy products.

If a cat develops breathing difficulties, severe weakness, neurological symptoms, or stops eating, prompt veterinary attention is important.

Flu Vaccines: Why Dogs Don't Follow the Human Flu Calendar

Most people associate flu vaccination with autumn. Human influenza vaccines are reviewed and updated regularly because circulating human flu viruses change over time.

Canine influenza vaccination works differently.

Dogs do not have to wait until fall for a canine influenza vaccine. Vaccination can be started at an appropriate time of year, depending on a dog's health, exposure risk, and veterinary recommendation.

Unlike the seasonal human flu vaccine, canine influenza vaccines are designed to protect against established canine strains rather than being reformulated each autumn to match that year's predicted human flu viruses.

However, that does not mean one canine flu vaccination provides lifelong protection.

Dogs starting a canine influenza vaccination series generally receive two initial doses, followed by boosters according to the product label and their veterinarian's recommendations, commonly annually.

Vaccination is considered risk-based, rather than a routine requirement for every dog.

Dogs that regularly visit boarding facilities, daycare centers, dog shows, grooming establishments, or other environments with frequent dog-to-dog contact may benefit most.

Vaccination may not completely prevent infection, but it can help reduce the severity of illness and viral shedding.

If your dog will be boarded or attending a gathering, discuss vaccination well in advance. Protection takes time to develop, particularly when the initial two-dose series is needed.

What Should You Do if Your Pet Develops Respiratory Symptoms?

Because several illnesses can cause similar symptoms, don't assume every cough or sneeze is influenza.

Contact your veterinarian and describe the symptoms, when they began, and whether your pet has recently visited a boarding facility, shelter, daycare center, grooming establishment, or other place where animals gather.

Your veterinarian can determine whether testing or an examination is needed.

While awaiting guidance:

• Keep a coughing dog away from other dogs and cats.

• Provide fresh water and a comfortable, quiet place to rest.

• Avoid dog parks, daycare, grooming appointments, and other unnecessary animal contact.

• Wash your hands and clean shared equipment and surfaces.

• Never administer human cold or flu medication without veterinary approval.

• Seek urgent veterinary care for difficult breathing, collapse, or severe weakness. A pet that cannot eat or drink also needs prompt attention.

And remember that pets can spread respiratory infections before symptoms become obvious. When an illness is suspected, ask your veterinarian how long your pet should remain separated from other animals.

A Final Thought

We prepare for human flu season because we know it's coming. With our pets, preparation means understanding where exposure can occur, recognizing changes in their health, and knowing when to contact a veterinarian.

Whether your pet is a dog who loves daycare, a cat living with other animals, or a companion who rarely leaves home, awareness is one of the simplest ways to protect their health.

Preparedness reduces panic. Because moments matter.