Upper and lower respiratory infections can occur for both dogs and cats. Influenza is going to be the most common of them, and pets can get the flu just as easily as we do. Canine distemper in dogs can also affect the respiratory tract, and kennel cough is another one that is common and caused by exposure to the parainfluenza virus or as a secondary infection stemming from Bordetella bacterial infections.

Bronchitis is an inflammatory respiratory infection that will make it hard for the pet to breathe, and canine pneumonia is one of the most serious types of respiratory infections that can put a dog’s health majorly at risk. Lungworm is also considered to be a respiratory infection for dogs, and Brachycephalia is a genetic condition where the skull of the dog promotes them having breathing difficulties.

Respiratory Infections in Cats

Feline rhinitis is the most common type of respiratory infection in cats and it can be attributable to substance allergies, bacterial infections, or a number of other possible causes. Cats can also get cryptococcus fungal infections in their sinus cavity and this will qualify as a respiratory infection too. The feline herpes virus and feline calicivirus are also possible causes of a cat upper respiratory infection, and when cats get a UTI it can be even more problematic because in some instances they stop eating because of it.

There are also brachycephalic breeds of cats that may have breathing problems because of the shape of their skull leads to impeded airflow, and cats that have feline leukemia or feline immune deficiency virus will be more likely to get a respiratory tract infection.

Respiratory Infection Symptoms

Pets with upper respiratory infections may display any number of symptoms based on the type of infection they have, but some of the most common ones that will be seen with more than a few of them are:

   
• Sneezing
   
• Cough
   
• Drainage from eyes
   
• Conjunctivitis
   
• Squinting
   
• Nasal drainage or crusting
   
• Fever
   
• Mouth ulcers
   
• Breathing difficulties
   
• Wheezing
 

Swollen lymph nodes will also be a possibility with pet respiratory infection symptoms.

What Causes Respiratory Infections

A pet will usually get a respiratory infection because it is a contagious infection and they have come into close contact with another infected animal. This is especially true for viral respiratory infections that affect dogs and cats. Bacterial respiratory infections in pets are more often the result of environmental exposure, and for feline rhinitis, it can be that the cat is allergic to a substance and exposure to it causes the condition and the temporary onset of airway infection symptoms. These are the most standard explanations for what causes respiratory infections in pets.