FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease DescriptionsRabiesThis disease affects all mammals.Primary reservoirs of thisdisease are wild and domestic canines cats s!"n!sraccoons and bats.The disease is transmitted via bitewo"nds or saliva.The clinical si#ns are ac"te fatal viralencephalomyelitis with headache fever pro#ressiveparalysis and death.Any companion animal that has beenbitten by a wild animal or another companion animal$showin# symptoms especially e%cessive droolin#& sho"ldbe considered at ris! of this disease.Any wild animal bitin# a companion animal sho"ld bee"thani'ed and a sample of brain tiss"e sho"ld be analy'ed.(ite wo"nds sho"ld be cleaned immediately.A vaccine isavailable for h"mans and some animal species.Do#s inpartic"lar sho"ld be vaccinated for this disease.FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease Descriptions)eptospirosisThis disease has a worldwide distrib"tion inboth domestic and wild animals.Differentspecies of the bacteri"m are common indifferent species of animals.(acteria are shedin the "rine and may affect other animals.*anifestations of the disease are diverseran#in# from inapparent infection to severesystemic illness with fever myla#iahemorrha#e into the s!in and m"co"smembranes and potentially liver and !idneyfail"re.Dia#nosis is made via a risin# antibodytiter or isolation of the or#anism.FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease Descriptions+almonellaThis disease is fo"nd worldwide amon# h"mansand animals.*ost laboratory rodents are now freeof this disease b"t it is still fo"nd in do#s catsbirds and especially reptiles and amphibians.,nfection occ"rs by the fecal - oral ro"te viacontaminated food or water or direct contact withinfected animals.The disease prod"ces an ac"te febrile enterocolitis$diarrhea&.The disease is more severe inimm"nocompromised individ"als.The disease is dia#nosed by isolation of theor#anism.P"rchasin# animals certified free of thedisease or#anism "sin# personal protectivee."ipment and followin# #ood personal hy#ienewill help to prevent the disease.FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease DescriptionsTo%oplasmosisThis disease has a worldwide distrib"tion in manymammalian species.*/+T infections are from cats.,nfection res"lts from in#estion of infectio"s oocysts infood and water contaminated by cat feces.The disease "s"ally prod"ces an asymptomatic or mildillness with fever myal#ia and lymphadenopathy.Disease can be severe in imm"nocompromised peopleand harmf"l to a fet"s early in pre#nancy.Fetal deathmay occ"r.,nfection can be dia#nosed by isolation of the or#anismor a risin# antibody titer.Personnel sho"ld "se #oodpersonal hy#iene and maintain ri#oro"s sanitation of catrooms.Pre#nant women $"nless they are !nown tohave antibodies to this disease& sho"ld be advised of thefetal infection.Cat feces sho"ld be removed promptlybefore oocysts become infectio"s0 #loves sho"ld beworn.FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease Descriptions*aloccl"sionThis condition is one in which the front teeth donot ali#n properly.,t is most common in rodentsand rabbits.,f the teeth are allowed to #row"nchec!ed they may act"ally prevent the animalfrom eatin# properly.The teeth may also #rowthro"#h the lower 1aw and 2 or into the nasal cavity.Animals e%hibitin# this condition sho"ld never be"sed for breedin#.The condition is treated by clippin# the teeth asneeded so that the animal can eat properly.FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease DescriptionsCanine DistemperThis viral disease affects do#s and may become fatal.Theseverity of the disease symptoms will vary from a transients"bclinical infection to a severe fatal disease that involvesseveral different or#an systems.This variability is d"e to thedifferin# vir"lence of vario"s vir"s strains and differences inhost imm"nity.The initial phase of the infection is associated with fevertransient anore%ia lethar#y and a mild sero"s oc"lardischar#e after an appro%imate 3 to 45 day inc"bationperiod.As the vir"s spreads to the respiratory and#astrointestinal system m"cop"r"lent oc"lar and nasaldischar#e co"#hin# diarrhea and occasionally vomitin# arenoted. *any do#s are anorectic at this point and severelydehydrated.,nvolvement of the central nervo"s system mayocc"r and can be the only si#n manifested by some do#s.These do#s may develop sei'"res or other evidence ofne"rolo#ical disease.+ome do#s will appear to recover fromthe severe respiratory or #astrointestinal si#ns b"t wee!s ormonths later will develop ne"rolo#ical si#ns that either arefatal or re."ire e"thanasia.Ro"tine disinfection is "s"ally effective in destroyin# thevir"s in a hospital or !ennel.FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease DescriptionsFeline )e"!emiaThis viral disease affects cats.The vir"s isspread thro"#h direct contact thro"#h#roomin# sharin# food dishes and fi#htin#.The vir"s is easily !illed in the environmentand isolation of the infected cat is ade."ate toprevent transmission to s"sceptible cats.*ostcats that are e%posed to the vir"s s"ccessf"llyeliminate the infection.4 to 6 per cent of catsin sin#le7cat and "p to 68 percent of cats inm"ltiple cat ho"seholds will be becomepersistently infected with the vir"s.Theseinfected cats then are s"sceptible to a host ofrelated diseases.Effective vaccines are available to prevent thisdisease. FFA Vet Tech CDE Parasite &Disease DescriptionsFeline Panle"!openiaThis parvoviral disease of cats is potentially severe and hi#hly conta#io"s.+ymptoms are feline distemper and infectio"s enteritis.The typical clinical si#ns incl"de lethar#y anore%ia vomitin# and diarrhea after a 9day inc"bation period.Characteristically the feces are yellowish semiformed tofl"id and may be blood tin#ed.+evere dehydration may be present.Cats willoccasionally han# their heads over the water bowl b"t will not drin!.Thetemperat"re may be elevated or s"bnormal.:ittens and yo"n# cats appear to bemore severely affected.Treatment is primarily s"pportive.The most important therapy is the correction offl"id and electrolyte inbalances and prevention of sepsis by the "se of broadspectr"m antibiotics.Control of vomitin# and diarrhea is "s"ally indicated.Theanimalmay also e%hibit low blood s"#ar and be e%tremely wea! and 2 or havesei'"res.A dia#nosis is based on the presence of clinical si#ns in the presence of a low totalle"!ocyte co"nt $less than ;888