common diseases in cats & dogs

Brucellosis

bacterial, zoonotic

no vaccine (antibiotic possible, but relapse likely)

causes:

• reproductive failure (late stage abortions)

• sterility

How to manage:

Castrate, test, remove from kennel

Leptospirosis

bacterial, zoonotic (vaccine available)

Spread by urine (contaminated food & water)

Fever in early stages, listlessness, loss appetite, mental depression

Primarily affects kidneys (hunched gait due to pain)

Antibiotics can help or animal can become a carrier

Should VX if your animal goes outside to dog parks, lakes, ponds, etc. or if standing water near your home

tetanus (lockjaw):

bacterial (Clostridium tetani), not contagious

Neurotoxin (spastic contractions, difficulty opening mouth, rigid extension of legs)

Prognosis is poor unless treated w/ antitoxins, antibiotics, sedatives, IV fluids & wound care.

tuberculosis

bacterial, zoonotic (Lung infection)

common low grade fever with wasting & loss of condition in spite of good owner care

Euthanasia may be the best choice & this is not common

In dogs - usually caught FROM the owner

Antibiotics can help or the animal can become a carrier

Over 9 million cases a year in humans and over 1 million deaths

salmonellosis

bacterial, zoonotic

Puppies & young or elderly animals most susceptible

Gastroenteritis, fever, loss of appetite, depression

May become asymptomatic carriers

tularemia

bacterial, zoonotic (through tick 🡪 dog 🡪 human)

Can be transmitted by ticks, bacteria penetrates the skin

Skin lesions, swollen lymph nodes, pneumonia, weakness in rear legs

can be hard to spot on animals w/ a lot of fur! check frequently

lyme disease

bacterial

common in US tick borne disease

Sudden onset of lameness, weak, fever

Dogs transmit to humans via the tick vector!

rocky mountain spotted fever

bacterial

Transmitted by ticks & can affect humans

Numerous symptoms, can be a carrier for long time period before disease symptoms are shown

NC Prevalence?

5 hrs vs 48 hrs?

other various tick concerns

Anaplasmosis (tick fever)

Ehrlichiosis

Hepatozoonosis

Babesiosis

Bartonellosis

Cytauxzoonosis (cats)

Tick paralysis?

Rash in pets?

distemper

viral, accine available

Similar to measles in humans (aerosol)

Leading cause of dog infectious diseases worldwide (puppies 3-8mo), only 50% show symptoms

• 1st stage(3-15 days): fever 103-105, loss of appetite, listlessness, watery/pus discharge from eyes & nose, discharge becomes thick, yellow, & sticky w/pronounced dry dough and diarrhea

• 2nd stage (2-3 weeks): brain development (slobbering, head shaking, seizures, circles, falls over, etc.)

• Chorea - another sign of brain involvement (rhythmic jerks); neurological issues can remain for life of dog

canine influenza

viral, highly contagious but NOT to people

• Also affects cats (but less severe)

Vaccine available

Death is often not common in owned dogs but can be more serious in shelters

General sick symptoms of cough, running eyes/nose & fever

While most dogs exposed carry the virus not all show symptoms

Secondary bacterial illnesses not uncommon

canine parvovirus

1st in US around 1976-1977 (in Asia, Australia and Europe earlier).

Disease is very hardy and is transmitted by direct contact

DNA virus that requires rapidly growing cells and therefore puppies are the most susceptible

2 forms (GI or Heart)

• GI--bloody diarrhea, fever, abdomen pain, decreased appetite, vomiting…death

Routine vaccination recommended

canine coronavirus

1st isolated from military dogs in Germany 1971

Early diagnosis important; bacteria secondary infections may make treatment difficult

Vaccines uncertain – why?

Diarrhea

This is in the same grouping as COVID-19, SARS, MERS, PED (in swine), etc.

COVID-19 discussion

Herpes

viral
Most severe in late pregnancy & in puppies (1-3wk); hard distended abdomen; usually die w/I 24h

• Puppies will get it from the mom when born (unless C-section)

Have it for life (although not always showing signs)

Separate pregnant dogs and puppies

Not zoonotic (does not cross to humans or other species)

Infectious Canine Hepatitis (CAV 1)

Only dog; transmitted by direct contact

Virus in stool, saliva, urine (highly contagious)

Fatal form: sudden illness, bloody diarrhea, collapses and dies

Acute form: fever up to 106, bloody diarrhea, vomit, refuses to eat, movement is painful

Mild form: lethargic, not quite normal condition, loss of appetite

Vaccinate

Kennel cough (infectious tracheobronchitis)

Infectious resp. disease that is highly contagious & is usually accompanied by a harsh cough

Usually occurs when lots of dogs are housed together

Disease can be viral and bacterial and vaccines are available (treatment is usually successful)

Vaccinated dogs sometimes still get this condition

Can take weeks to completely recover

rabies

Viral

Can be transmitted to humans and most warm blooded mammals (saliva)

• Mammalian exceptions?

Transmitted by bite or direct contact

“Furious/mad” stage  or “dumb” stage

Routine vaccination (required)

Rabies testing? Quarantine? Bite concerns?

Histoplasmosis, Blastomycosis, and Coccidioidomycosis

fungal

All may involve one or all body systems

All three are very expensive to treat!

Do not house dogs near birds or bats!

Histo & Blasto have similar symptoms of diarrhea, weight loss, lesions, etc.

Cocci. mild respiratory form that may result in lameness & breaks

ringworm

fungal diseases in dogs

Coccidiosis

protozoan

• young cats & dogs, southern US problem, results from filth, overcrowding & dampness

Toxoplasmosis

protozoan

(cats & dogs although cats are the definitive host): acquired from consuming infected organisms (birds, rodents, etc.)

humans get it from eating uncooked meats or animals contamination

causes various symptoms & birth defects in human babies in vitro

CDC reports it to be the 3rd leading cause of US food borne illness related deaths

cat tetanus

bacterial disease in cats

Same as with dogs except that cats get it rarely due to a natural immunity

cat salmonella

bacterial disease in cats

mainly in kittens & same as in dogs

cat tuberculosis

bacterial disease in cats

Cats are immune to the human tuberculosis form but catch the bovine form

Euthanasia is usually recommended

cat rabies

Viral Diseases in Cat

same as dog notes

Feline Panleukopenia (FPL)

Viral Disease in Cats

Is not the same as distemper!

Virus is very resistant

Best treatment is prevention/vaccination

Symptoms: fever, depression, loss of appetite and cannot drink water, vomiting

feline leukemia virus (FeLV)

viral disease in cats

Test all cats; if contracted death usually within 3 years

Acute or chronic form; leads to cancer and severity of secondary diseases, signs are non-specific

Transmission can occur via biting, mating, saliva transfer (grooming), etc.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

Usually die from secondary infections due to low immune function

Separate infected cats, test cats

Prevention is key, biting is the main form of transmission

Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

Less than 5% develop disease symptoms but many are carriers

Caused by a coronavirus and currently there is a vaccine; however, vaccine is not 100% and not effective in all cases therefore may not be currently available for your animal!

If symptoms are shown, usually end with death

Occurs in a wet (fluid around heart) and dry form

Internal parasites in Dogs

Dogs can develop a resistance to certain worms

Larva may be dormant for extended time period and then reactivate due to stressors

Most puppies have roundworms and should be dewormed around 2-3wks & 5-6wks

Adult dogs can be re-infected and should deworm if problems is suspected

roundworms

Can be very serious in puppies

Can hatch around 200,000 daily

Eggs come from the soil, enter oral cavity, hatch in intestines, crawl up the windpipe, are swallowed and return to the intestines as an adult

May be passed in stool (white, thin, spaghetti like & usually still alive

hookworms

Small, thin worms that fasten to the intestine walls and draw blood

Transmitted from soil to intestines

Can kill puppies and puppies can catch from the milk of Mom during first few wks

tapeworms

●Can get them from eating uncooked meat, raw or fresh fish, or transmitted via fleas

●Not usually life threatening in the dog but can be quite serious in man

heartworms

Adults live in right side of heart, spread by mosquito

Up to 250 worms per dog is normal and the worms can reach 12 inches in length

Dogs are asymptomatic for long time period, then shortness in breath, weight loss, deep cough

Treatment is complex, potentially dangerous, and expensive.

Toxocariasis (Roundworms) in cats

Most common worm in cats

Infestation is similar to dogs

stomach worms in cats

○8 different species, do not attach, cause periodic vomiting

tapeworms in cats

same as dogs

Sarcoptic mange

external parasite in dogs

mite, scratching & biting of site, can infect humans but only live around 3 wk easily treated

Demodicosis “red” mange

external parasite in dogs

mite, less zoonotic potential, some breeds more prone & due to immune system issue as well

Walking dandruff

external parasite in dogs

in puppies and very contagious

Flea

external parasite in dogs

most common dog insect problem although the dog flea also infests - feed on blood; disease carrier - allergies

Lice

external parasite in dogs

can bite and feed on skin or suck and feed on blood, ear irritant

Ticks

external parasite in dogs

brown dog tick is the most common - suck blood and ticks can carry numerous diseases

mites (dogs & cats)

Mites - other common problems associated w/ mites include:

• Scabies (itchy disease), bacteria infections from scratching, ear mites, & chiggers

• Mange can also occur in cats although demodicosis mite is less common and a different species

Fleas in cats

external parasite

Much the same as dogs

Remember that you can not necessarily treat them on cats and dogs with the same products

Lice in cats

external parasite

most common in poorly cared for animals / usually around the head

most common vaccines in U.S. for dogs

Rabies (required)

DHPP/DAPP/DA2PP/5in1

• D (distemper), H (Hepatitis) A or A2 (kennel cough), P (parainfluenza), P (parvovirus)

most common vaccines in U.S. for cats

Rabies (required)

FVRCP (rhinotracheitis/herpesvirus 1, calicivirus, panleukopenia)

FeL