coughing

Are there mosquitoes in your area? Have you ever been bitten by a mosquito? One mosquito bite and your cat can be affected by heartworm disease. It is just that easy for your cat to obtain this life-threatening infection. Fortunately, heartworm disease is completely preventable, yet less than 4% of the cats in the United States are given heartworm preventative on a regular basis.

Heartworms or Dirofilaria immitis are a spaghetti-type worm that develop in the heart and lungs of an infected host. The disease is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. Due to the insect vector, disease is more common in mild, moist climates. Mosquitos appear to infect ferrets with heartworms at a similar rate as seen in the dog.

Commonly known as "snuffles," nasal catarrh, or pasteurellosis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection affecting rabbits. Snuffles produces a discharge from the nose and eyes.

Heartworms can be a problem anywhere mosquitoes inhabit. This disease syndrome is especially prevalent in Florida and the other Gulf Coast States. Due to their mild climate, these states are pestered by mosquitoes year round.

Kennel Cough--or Infectious Tracheobronchitis--is an easily transmitted combination bacterial/viral disease in the canine patient. It is caused by a bacterial infection of Bordetella bronchiseptica and viral components parainfluenza and canine adenovirus. Tracheobronchitis is a highly infectious condition seen 5 to 10 days following exposure to the causative agents.