DH says he caught viris from the dogs

[iris lily]

DH truly believes that he has caught a virus from our dogs.

We've got a house full of dogs with respiratory illness. All of them are on meds. They are sneezing and snorting, and drooling all over. They sneeze in his face and all over his legs because he has them in his lap a lot.

Is this even possible? I thought I'd pose this question here before I go off to Google it.

[puglogic]

I didn't think so. I get sneezed on every day of my life and have never caught anything...I don't think anything could transmit.

But do tell what you learn :)

[iris lily]

I didn't think so. I get sneezed on every day of my life and have never caught anything...I don't think anything could transmit.

But do tell what you learn :)

Well one Google headline said that the CDC* claims no dog respiratory virus has ever infected a human. So I think DH is all wet. He gets many more flus and colds than I get.

Of course we know that canine viruses don't infect humans but DH thinks it may have come from these dogs and it would have mutated. Certainly the virus mutated from Dog A (who came in here from the county pound) who had classic kennel cough. He coughed and coughed for 3 days and by the 5th day all is well with him. Meanwhile all of our little Frenchies are snotty nosed and it's been going on for ten days but they are not coughing.

*Center for Disease Control

[Wildflower]

A few years ago, we brought home an adorable little kitten we had adopted from the local animal shelter. That kitten promptly became sick with a bad cold the following day. Then all of our other cats, one by one became sick with the cold, then the dogs, and then the whole family within a couple days. Some of us humans needed antibiotics, and then a couple of the cats were so sick they needed meds too. Our vet said then that some viruses and colds can be passed back and forth between people and animals. Didn't need him to tell me that at that point though... :)

And then there is strep throat which is often carried by the family pet, which in turn keeps reinfecting the humans in the family. Had a friend whose little DD had reoccurring strep throat and it wasn't until the family dog was checked and found to be the carrier that they got relief for her. Both dog and little girl had to take antibiotics to get rid of it.

Iris Lily, I think it is possible your DH may have picked up something from your critters, although of course people can't get kennel cough, but there may have been other germs present as well....

[goldensmom]

I don't think he got a virus from the dogs. He may be allergic to their dander.

[rodeosweetheart]

Wow, I hope not, and that is interesting Wildflower, that your vet said it is possible. Maybe put everybody on a probiotic or something? See if you can up the general immunity?

[pinkytoe]

Seems to me like lateral transmission of viruses is always possible; genes can mutate. I mean don't we get viruses from pigs and birds already.

[Bastelmutti]

May just be the end-of-the-summer viruses that are going around right now. We were down with one two weeks ago - think we dragged it home from camp.

[CathyA]

Maybe just allergies from end-of-summer stuff?

[fidgiegirl]

My friend did get an intestinal thing from a foster dog once.

[Gardenarian]

I think it is more likely that whatever is causing a problem for the dogs is causing a problem for your husband.
Could be seasonal allergies, a gas leak, sensitivity to something like a new rug or piece of furniture. Also, if they are eating some of the same foods, I would suspect that.

[iris lily]

I think it is more likely that whatever is causing a problem for the dogs is causing a problem for your husband.
Could be seasonal allergies, a gas leak, sensitivity to something like a new rug or piece of furniture. Also, if they are eating some of the same foods, I would suspect that.

No, we got in a rescue dog from the county pound who came with Bordetella (Kennel Cough.) Then our dogs caught the bug that seemed to be mutated because they didn't cough.

DH's mutation doesn't cause him to cough. Nor to bark or howl.:laff:

[mschrisgo2]

Healthy dogs that have been vaccinated against kennel cough will not get _as sick_ when they are exposed to the virus in any form, so that may be what's happening for the dogs you've had for a while. And yes, it does mutate. That's how it survives the vaccines!!

(but I doubt hubby got "it" from the dogs... kennel cough has never been proven to be zoonotic, i.e. passed between dogs and humans. His immune system may be down from the stress, allowing him to get sick all on his own -; )