Animals can get colds too - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Animals can get colds too

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ALBANY, GA (WALB) -

If you have a cold, you may not want to get too close to your pet because they can get sick too.

Everyday Dr. Steve Whatley at Bush Animal Clinic sees pets come in with the "common cold."

Often, their owners have been sick too.

Dogs and cats and other pets have the same symptoms as we do runny noses, coughing and sneezing.

 Passing the influenza virus on to an animal is possible but rare.

"I always tell folks that if you have pets or your pets have colds it almost always going to turn into some kind of bacterial infection," said Dr. Steve Whatley, Bush Animal Clinic

Upper respiratory infections are not normally deadly to dogs but in some cases it can be deadly for cats if they can't smell their food which prevents them from eating. 

Lower respiratory infections like pneumonia can be deadly for both cats and dogs.

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