USA Today

Detroit,

It’s hard to look into the big, sad eyes of a sick family member — especially when that member is four-legged and furry. Even pets are susceptible to the flu, but like humans, there are precautions you can take to keep sickness at bay.

“One thing I would do is make sure they are vaccinated timely,” says veterinarian Hardev Saini. Although pets and humans share many things, they cannot transmit the flu to each other. Dogs can give it to dogs and cats to cats, so it’s important to be sure that the other animals your pets come in contact with are vaccinated. And, unlike the human flu, pet illnesses happen year round without any peaking season.

Vaccinations for the dog version of influenza (called parainfluenza) and the cat version (called an upper respiratory tract infection) are usually included in your pet’s routine veterinary care. Bordatella, often called “kennel cough,” is similar to parainfluenza; and, although not included in the typical round of vaccinations, is an inexpensive and important vaccine, Saini says.

Without proper vaccinations, cats can suffer from runny eyes, sneezing, runny nose and loss of voice. Dogs will have sneezing, runny nose, fever and occasionally a cough. Like humans, there are medicines and antibiotics that your vet can prescribe.

“If your pet is sick the best thing you can do is call your vet because, although we can’t cure it at that stage, we can make them more comfortable,” says vet Michael Petty.

While these infections can make an adult pet miserable, they can be deadly to puppies and kittens, Saini says.

Puppies and kittens should be vaccinated several times during their first year and then once each year when they are adults. Adult pets that spend a lot of time at dog parks, grooming boutiques or kennels are considered high-risk and should be vaccinated twice a year, Saini says.

Once your pet falls ill and you’ve talked to your vet, Saini recommends giving the pet lots of liquids (switch to wet food if necessary) and isolate them from other pets. Keep your cat’s nasal area clean because a cat will not eat what it cannot smell, he says.