What Happens To Animals That Catch Human Illnesses?

When animals catch human illnesses, it’s like they’re wearing someone else’s shoes, not always comfortable, but sometimes they can walk just fine in them.

Imagine you have a cold and sneeze near your dog. Your sneeze is like a tiny cloud of germs that float through the air. If your dog inhales those germs, it might catch a cold too, just like you! But instead of coughing and sniffles, maybe your dog will sneeze and scratch more than usual.

Sometimes the illness can be more serious for animals. Like if a cat catches the flu from its human friend, it might feel really tired and not want to play or eat as much, just like you would when you're sick.

• A dog could get a human cold through sneezes or kisses.
• A bird might catch a virus if it’s near someone who is coughing.
• A pig could even get the flu from a farmer who has the flu!

Animals are like humans, they can get sick, and sometimes the illness feels just as bad. But most of them get better after a while, just like you do!