A couple weeks ago, my otherwise healthy 12-year-old Catahoula, Desoto, had a bad case of diarrhea--the kind that required running to the back door with him in the middle of the night. It lasted for 10 messy days (we couldn't always make it outside). I tried not to worry too much since his appetite was as big as ever. But it got me thinking about how the most wonderful time of the year overlaps with the sickest time of the year. Lately, I've had more students and their dogs call in sick to class. Is it possible for people to pass on their illness to pets?
 
When it comes to the H1N1 virus or “swine flu,” the answer is yes. Two Chinese dogs [3] were confirmed to have contracted the infamous virus from humans. Closer to home, an indoor cat in Iowa [4] caught H1N1 from its owner. Since then, four more American cats came down with the illness, two of whom died.
 
This is not to be confused with H3N8 or CIV (canine influenza virus), which was originally passed on to dogs from horses. The symptoms of both viruses are similar: loss of appetite, lethargy, fever, runny nose, coughing and labored breathing. There is a CIV vaccine that veterinarians recommend for dogs who spend a lot of time with other dogs, such as at doggie daycares or shows.
 
For the latest info on public health and your pets, go to the American Veterinary Medical Association [5] website.