It is a pretty well-known fact that in the US norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness, but, you can also catch it from infected people and contaminated surfaces. There is a new study raising questions about whether it could be caught from dogs.

According to Veterinarian Sarah Caddy, in their research, she and her colleagues found that some dogs can mount an immune response to human norovirus. This basically suggests that they have been infected by it.

Here’s what Caddy said:

“We also confirmed that human norovirus can bind to the cells of the canine gut, which is the first step required for infection of cells.”

This is pretty disturbing and it means that humans can catch the virus from other animals.

So, what exactly is the norovirus? It is one of the leading causes of “stomach flu,” and it causes vomiting and diarrhea. It is also very contagious. You can catch it from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or from contaminated surfaces.

Here’s some more of what Caddy said:

“As a small animal veterinarian, I am often asked by dog owners if they might be able to pass infections onto their dogs, or if their dogs are contagious to them.”

“There are plenty of anecdotal cases of dogs and humans in the same household, having simultaneous gastroenteritis, but very little rigorous scientific research is conducted in this area.”

“Until more definitive data is available, sensible hygiene precautions should be taken around pets, especially when gastroenteritis in either humans or dogs is present in a household.”