My cat has a respiratory infection. Is it contagious to my dog?

How lovely of you to look after Hiccup! It could be possible that he has a respiratory infection. These can be caused by viruses and bacteria. While the viruses are not contagious, it is possible a bacterial infection could be to your dogs. I would keep Hiccup isolated from the dogs to be safe.

Most upper respiratory infections are species specific, meaning that cats can't transmit them to dogs (and vice-versa) - so it's unlikely that your dog would be able to catch this infection from the kitten. But if she does, it should be easily treated with medication from your veterinarian. If Raven continues to have runny eyes, or develops squinting, redness, or other signs of a problem, I would recommend taking her to the vet for a check-up. If needed, the vet can prescribe antibiotic eye drops or oral antibiotics for her to help get things cleared up :)

That is a great question. Upper respiratory infections in cats are highly contagious. If one of your friends has a sick cat at their home, they can spread the infection to your cat if they have any contamination on their hands or clothes. Your cat can also contract an infection if they are in close enough contact to any outdoor cats that are sick, such as a sick cat sneezing near your open window, etc. You can picture children on a school setting and how easy it is to spread a virus...it is the same with cats.

That is definitely suspicious, because they can share certain upper respiratory diseases. If the vet did not find a foreign body, then hopefully they would be treating for infection. This would be good information to pass along to your mother's vet. Also, Ginger should see the vet. The infections that are passed from dogs to cats are bacterial, so this will require antibiotics to clear the infection. I hope that helps and Ginger gets better soon.

The virus responsible for rhinotracheitis is specific to cats and cannot be transmitted to ferrets. One of the most concerning diseases for transmission from dogs to ferrets is canine distemper virus. Canine distemper can start as an upper respiratory infection and is particularly deadly to ferrets. For this reason we recommend vaccination of ferrets against canine distemper. I hope that helps and all is well with Erika.

Congrats on the new kitten and being pregnant, but I'm sorry Milo isn't feeling well! Luckily you cannot catch a respiratory infection from cats, so there is no concern for you and your unborn son. Respiratory infections can be common in cats, and are frequently caused by viruses so antibiotics won't help. First, you can try starting them on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If they are congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing them into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. Depending on their symptoms, a vet may be able to prescribe medications to help with them so a vet visit would be a good idea. I hope this helps!

Based on the history, I am suspicious of an infectious cause and that Micah has given it to the other animals. Its extremely unusual for cats to get infections from dogs but its not impossible. There are many different organisms (bacteria and viruses) that cause respiratory infections and its possible that the antibiotic was ineffective for this particular infection or that it is a virus that needs to run its course. I would recommend another trip to the vet to have her checked out again to be on the safe side. Make sure Micah is drinking plenty of water and she is getting rest as this is good for her immune system. A fatty acid supplement will also help decrease inflammation in her nose and this may help relieve some symptoms as well.