Can piggies catch human cold/flu virus?

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AldenM1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:14 am


Okay, so here's my deal.

I am coming down with another cold (the second in a month!). As soon as I start feeling this way I start super-loading the zinc, making sure I get lots of sleep, etc., but there's only so much I can do.

I am also married to a person with major immune-system complications. The other thing we do when EITHER of us is starting to feel sick is immediately move into separate bedrooms and stay there for 7-14 days. We've basically eliminated the cute passing-back-and-forth thing married couples sometimes do, and sometimes we can even keep him from getting my colds.

Now that it's much colder in our drafty old house, we have moved our double-decker Pig Palace into the guest bedroom, where we can regulate the temperature better. It's nice and cozy in there and it's where I usually head when Scott is sick, because the upstairs bed is the domain of the cat who hates me and loves him, and I like sleeping with my pigs anyway. Scott does not like sleeping with the pigs.

So here's the question. When I'm sick, I make Scott do the daily feeding/poop sweeping. But I know URI/viruses are spread largely through microdroplets from sneezes and coughs. If I'm sleeping in the same room as the pigs, I'm probably not pointed AT them when I sneeze, but they're still in the general vicinity.

Is it better to move them out into the drafty (quite cold) hall? move them across the room and hope sneezes don't travel that far? or pick a big ol' marital fight and make my husband sleep with the pigs and take my chances with the cat?

And what happens if we're BOTH sick and somebody absolutely has to sleep in the guest bedroom?

it's like a messed-up game of chess up in here.

User avatar
pigjes
Cavy Comic

Post   » Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:29 am


The pigs are with me in the room 24/7 almost, which means that any type of infection has crossed over before we even had a chance to detect it ourselves. If we both are infected, we limit direct contact, but the cage gets cleaned anyway.
Last edited by pigjes on Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

couchon

Post   » Thu Nov 14, 2013 10:29 am


I live in a studio. So, I don't have a choice. We are all always in the same room. I have a corner away from the pigs where I go to sneeze (no joke), and I go way over the top with washing my hands and try not to breath on them when I pick them up. Knock on wood, so far it has worked for me.

Marjorieandpigs

Post   » Wed Nov 27, 2013 1:57 am


If you are serious about safe guarding your pig against an cold/flu you have, it can still be done when living in the same room.

The viruses are transmitted by 1.) contact (like on our hands...we rub our nose or eyes and later touch pigs or surfaces they will touch) and 2.) respiratory droplets (teeny tiny droplets of saliva and mucous that spray out into the air when we sneeze and cough).

Solution even in a studio apt: cover the pig's pen with a light bed sheet, air will still gently flow under but you can likely prevent respiratory droplets from falling/blowing into their pens this way.

When you go to clean their cage put on a face mask you can buy at any drugstore and then wash your hands for a long time very vigorously with lots of friction- be super thorough and take your time, then don't touch anything on you or any door knobs once your hands are washed, only the pigs and their pens.

I would absolutely be this careful if I was very sick and interacting with my pigs because I have one who is 7 1/2 years old. If you have older ones, sickly ones, or you just have something awful and viscous like RSV/influenza, do these simple things and you will really reduce the chances of the pigs getting sick from you, even in a one bedroom situation.
marjorie

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