CANINE STOMACH FLU? THE CONTAGIOUS NOROVIRUS COULD BE SPREAD FROM DOG TO OWNER

Study says there’s a chance dogs and humans can give each other stomach bug...

With the concern about the current canine flu hitting epidemic levels, owners may have found some comfort in the news that this particular strain of flu is unable to affect humans. Although veterinarians still advise on keeping a clean environment for pets, what about the potential for other viral candidates to make the jump from pet to owner and vice versa?

A study from the American Society for Microbiology says there’s a chance dogs and humans can give each other the stomach bug. In the latest issue of the society’s publication, “Journal of Clinical Microbiology,” Dr. Sarah Caddy, a veterinarian and Ph.D. student at the University of Cambridge, and Imperial College, London, calls for more testing of possible cross-contamination between pet and pet owner.

As a vet, Caddy had come across several stories from dog owners that both they and their dogs had come down with the stomach flu, formally known as norovirus. Noting little in the way of research in the area, she decided to tackle the topic. She found some dogs in the study exhibited antibodies to norovirus.

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