Bacterial infection

Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is a bacterial infection in cats caused by the bacterium Fransicella tularensis. Cats acquire the infection through ingesting infected prey, drinking contaminated water, or bites from blood-sucking insects.

Mastitis in cats is inflammation of the mammary gland(s). Mastitis can be caused by a bacterial infection or during weaning if there is a buildup of milk in the gland(s).

Leptospirosis in cats is a bacterial disease spread through the urine of infected animals. Leptospirosis is most often contracted by exposure to contaminated water or soil via mucous membranes or breaks in the skin.

Septic arthritis is rare in cats and is described as joint inflammation triggered by infection. Septic arthritis occurs when a joint becomes infected by a bite or puncture wound. Rarely, infection spreads through the bloodstream and infects multiple joints.

Feline pyoderma is a bacterial skin infection in cats. Pyoderma translates to “pus in the skin,” and is uncommon in cats, although it may be underdiagnosed. Pyoderma occurs when the normal, resident bacterial population of the skin (microflora), moves through the skin barrier resulting in an infection.

Helicobacter is a type of bacteria that infects the stomach of cats, typically causing no symptoms. In rare cases, cats may develop vomiting, reduced appetite, diarrhea, or weight loss.

Plague is a potentially life-threatening bacterial infection caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria which can affect different species, including cats and humans. Flea bites, contact with infected rodents, or inhalation of infected saliva droplets can transmit Y. pestis bacteria.

Plague is an infection caused by Yersinia pestis, a species of bacteria found in wild rodent populations. Dogs become infected with the bacteria through the bite of an infected flea, or through ingesting an infected rodent.

Joint infections, or septic arthritis, occur when bacteria or fungi are introduced into the nutrient-rich joint fluid, resulting in an infection. In dogs, joint infections typically develop after a wound occurs over or near a joint, but can also occur due to widespread bacterial infection in the body or after joint injections.

The bacteria Salmonella spp. often infects the intestines of mammals, including cats. Salmonella infection may lead to symptomatic illness, which is referred to as salmonellosis.

Bartonella spp. is a type of bacteria living inside red blood cells, leading to a condition called bartonellosis. Fleas pass bartonella to cats through their feces, and cats become infected through regular grooming behavior leading to feces ingestion,

The presence of bacteria in the blood is referred to as bacteremia or septicemia. The persistence of bacteria in the bloodstream might lead to sepsis in cats. 

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a tick-borne bacterial disease commonly seen in dogs and humans that is rarely found in cats. RMSF transmission occurs through bites from infected ticks.

Bacterial lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) occur when a bacterial infection arises in the urethra or bladder. UTIs commonly develop in association with a number of other conditions in cats such as urinary stones, constipation, megacolon, or other urinary tract diseases.

Botulism is caused by ingestion of raw meat or carrion contaminated with the neurotoxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. Initial symptoms may include diarrhea and vomiting related to the ingestion of spoiled meat.

Bacterial cystitis is infection and inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by bacteria entering through the urethra in dogs. Bacterial cystitis is commonly called a lower urinary tract infection, or UTI.

Botulism is a rare and potentially life-threatening form of paralysis caused by a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria, commonly found in decomposing meat and plants. Symptoms of botulism generally develop within 24 to 48 hours after ingestion and include vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and progressive ascending motor paralysis that starts in the rear limbs.

Mastitis is the inflammation of breast (mammary) tissue. Mastitis in dogs usually results from a bacterial infection and almost exclusively affects nursing mothers.

Bartonella infection in dogs is a disease caused by bacteria from the Bartonella species. The infection targets the blood vessels of various organs, including the heart, liver, lymph nodes, eyes, nose, and joints.

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are a group of bacterial and viral infections that affect the mouth, nose, eyes, and sinuses of cats.

Pyelonephritis is a urinary tract infection that affects the kidneys. The infection is most usually caused by a bacteria (usually E. coli) that moves up the urinary tract from the bladder into the kidneys

Cats are considered resistant to Lyme disease, with no naturally occurring cases of this illness reported.

Actinomycosis is a type of bacterial infection caused by a variety of Actinomyces species bacteria.

Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever, ornithosis and avian chlamydiosis is a disease caused by the bacteria, Chalmydophila psittaci. It occurs over 450 species of birds worldwide.

Lyme disease is an infectious disease spread by ticks. Typical symptoms in dogs include lameness, fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes and joints and loss of appetite.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that affects many animals, including dogs and humans.

Cats can fall ill or become injured from a variety of reasons. Many of the illnesses cats experience are caused by viral or bacterial infections.

Kennel cough, or canine Infectious Tracheobronchitis (ITB), is a common upper respiratory tract infection caused by infection with several different pathogens.

Canine ehrlichiosis, also known as hemorrhagic fever, is an infectious tick-borne illness that affects a dog’s blood cells.

Brucella canis is a species of bacteria that primarily infects dogs. While it is the leading cause of reproductive disease in dogs world-wide, it is not common in pet dogs in North America.