You might be surprised about the dog and cat diseases that can be found right in your own backyard. The maps below track dangerous diseases, too often seen by veterinarians. Some of these diseases may be spread by parasites, and some through close contact with other animals. Try out the maps, find out what’s in your neighborhood, and use the links below to learn more.
How is this data compiled?
Dog Diseases Near Me
Lyme Diseases in Dogs Near Me
Lyme disease is caused by a spiral-shaped microscopic organism. This bacterium lives in the gut of the eastern black-legged tick and the western black-legged tick. It can be transmitted when an infected tick feeds on a dog, person, or other mammal.
Heartworm Disease in Dogs Near Me
Heartworm disease is as scary as it sounds. It is a severe and potentially fatal disease caused by parasitic worms that like to live in the heart and lungs of many types of mammals. Heartworms are a type of roundworm spread by mosquitoes, and dogs of any age or breed are susceptible to infection from them.
Anaplasma in Dogs Near Me
Ticks acquire the bacterium that causes anaplasmosis from feeding on an infected host animal, such as a rodent or a deer. Then, they pass the bacteria to your dog by biting. Anaplasmosis can lead to serious symptoms and poses a significant risk to your dog’s health.
Ehrlichia in Dogs Near Me
The brown dog tick is one of the several species of ticks that can transmit ehrlichiosis. The lone star tick is another. The tick must be attached to your pet for 24-48 hours in order to transmit the infection. Symptoms may not be present until 1-3 weeks after infection.
Cat Diseases Near Me
Immunodeficiency Virus in Cats Near Me
Some consider feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) to be the cat equivalent of HIV in humans. FIV causes a highly contagious and potentially fatal retroviral infection that weakens a cat’s immune system, making the cat susceptible to illness and secondary infection.
Leukemia Virus in Cats Near Me
Like FIV, feline leukemia virus (FeLV) causes a highly contagious and potentially fatal retroviral infection that weakens a cat’s immune system. Feline leukemia can be easily spread from cat to cat through casual contact.
Heartworm Disease in Cats Near Me
Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes that ingest the baby heartworms (also known as microfilaria) from an infected source and carry them to a new source. Upon entering a new host through the mosquito bite, heartworm larvae will migrate. They usually find their way into the blood vessels around three or four months later.