kitten germs

Is your sick young cat a risk to your dog or vice versa? Luckily, most diseases in cats and dogs are specific to their species, but there are a couple of conditions that can pass between species you need to be aware of.

Ringworm (dermatophytosis)

Your dog and cat can pass ringworm to each other either through direct contact or by contaminating shared objects like beds.

Fleas

These pesky parasites are more than happy to jump back and forth between dogs and cats.

Fecal parasites

Dogs and cats can both be affected by roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms. Roundworms and hookworms may be passed through ingestion of feces or objects contaminated with fecal matter. Hookworms can also pass through contaminated dirt or sand. Tapeworms can pass via fleas that affect both dogs and cats.

Sarcoptic mange

Yup, that’s scabies. Scabies is more common in dogs, but this intensely itchy condition caused by mites can also affect cats and people. You’ll notice intense itching, alopecia and red lesions on the skin.

Rabies

Luckily, rabies is rare thanks to vaccines. However, your pet could get infected if they’re unvaccinated and bitten by a stray dog or cat.

Much of the prevention of disease transmission between dogs and cats comes down to their parasite prevention programs. Speak with your VCA care team about how you can protect your pets from parasites and from each other.

Find peace of mind with the right parasite preventives.