Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a disease caused by the bacteria Rickettsia rickettsia, which is carried by ticks. In Arizona, the most common tick vector is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus.) While this tick prefers to live and feed on dogs...

FeLV and FIV are viral diseases that affect your cat in a similar way. Both viruses attack your cat's immune system and leave it susceptible to many secondary infections. The FeLV (Feline Leukemia Virus) virus is typically spread when the saliva of an in...

Tick Fever, or Ehrlichiosis, is a common blood disease of the dog and occasionally people. The disease is found worldwide and is transmitted by the Rihipicephalus sanguineus tick, which is abundant in our area. The tick ingests the organism when feeding on an ...

Valley Fever, properly called Coccidioidomycosis, is a fungal disease of animals and man. The causative agent is an organism called Coccidioides immitis. This fungus normally lives in the soil and is endemic to the southwest area of the country (Arizona, N...