can rabbits catch human illnesses?

[sleepy538]

i think i’ve heard that rabbits can’t catch the common cold. however, my dr. thinks i might have strep throat. is it possible for me to transmit that bacteria to callie? she licks my clothes and my sheets.

[peppypoo]

Most “common colds” that humans have are caused by viruses, which are rarely transmissible to other animals. The organism responsible for strep throat does cause illness in other mammals, rabbits included, but I wouldn’t be too worried…it’s transmitted by bodily fluids and not so much by clothing, bedding, etc. Just practice good hygiene as usual to prevent others, animals included, from becoming sick .

[sleepy538]

luckily it’s not strep! thanks for the info though!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Almost all illnesses are specialists-very few can jump species. You hear about things like swine flu etc-those are zoonotic diseases and can ‘jump ship’ for the most part you cannot make your rabbit ill and vice versa.

[Datbun]

Rabbits can catch human illnesses such as strep throat, the flu, and COVID-19, but COVID-19 is technically not a “human illness” as it can affect any living thing, cases have even been found in fish, but still your lil bunny can catch a lot of human illnesses, the only way to prevent that is to be hygienic, keep up with you and your buns vaccines, and limit cuddles when sick, diet can also contribute to spreading a sickness as their diet, like ours, can affect their immune systems health.

[DanaNM]

Hello Datbun, we ask members not to reply to old threads to avoid confusion. This thread was started 12 years ago, so it’s very unlikely the original poster will see the response. I will lock this thread now to avoid confusion.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Bam]

Datbun, this is a very old thread, so the OP is unlikely to be active on thede forums.

The topic is interesting though, and Covid is of course still something we still might feel a bit worried about with regards to our pets, since it is a virus that has been found in many different species animals.

As you are saying, if you come down with something, even if you don’t know exactly what type of bug that’s causing it, the safest thing is to maintain good hand hygiene, limit cuddling and refrain from sharing food until you’re symptom-free.

Thank you for your contribution to the forums!

I’m locking this thread now, because it’s so old.

 

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