URI Contagious from Dog?

[Asheka]

My friend I'm staying with has a large dog who has, what the vet thinks, is a URI. I'm wondering if this is contagious to the rats?
The dog is never allowed in my room, and is on meds now, but just wanting to make sure on this.

 

[purinpurin]

To the best of my knowledge, no. They are different species so URIs should not be able to go back and forth between them. ^^

 

[victoria]

It depends on what bacteria or virus is causing the infection. Many bacteria will infect more than one species but not all. (For example CAR B affects rats, mice, and rabbits; Sendai affects rats, mice, guinea pigs, and hamsters, and so on.) There is no way to tell but there is always a risk. There are even some staph bacterias that can affect rats and humans.

 

[Asheka]

I'll have to try and do intros up in my room to keep them as far away from each other as possible. I'm hoping to set up an "annual check up" for them soon, so hopefully it's a strain that's not contagious as the vet never said which strain it could be.