Category: Glossary

Resource Types


Bartonellosis: commonly known as “cat scratch disease” transmitted by the bite or scratch of an infected cat, causing a sore or boil in the skin or lymph node.

Ehrlichiosis: a disease transmitted to humans and animals by ticks that can cause abnormalities in blood, such anemia.

Feces: bodily waste discharged through the anus. Also called stools, or informally, poop..

Giardia: a parasite in the intestines of humans and animals causing sever diarrhea.

Heartworms: a worm living in the heart and/or lungs of dogs and cats, transmitted by mosquitoes. The adult worm can measure as long as 16 inches in length.

Hookworms: any of numerous small parasitic worms living in the intestines of dogs, drinking the host’s blood resulting in anemia. They have hooked mouthparts which fasten to the intestinal walls of the host.

Host: a living animal or plant from which a parasite obtains nutrition.

Lyme Disease: bacterial disease caused by Borrelia organisms and transmitted by the eastern and western black legged ticks (deer ticks). The disease may infect both humans and animals and if untreated may result in severe symptoms.


Preventative: a drug, vaccine, etc., for preventing disease

Rickettsiosis: infectious disease transmitted by ticks, mites or body lice infected with rickettsial organisms.

Roundworms: among the most common of the parasitic worms found in dogs and cats,  adult roundworms live in the intestines. Animals with major roundworm infections show weight loss, dull hair, and a potbellied appearance.

Tapeworms: any of a number of flat, ribbon-like parasitic worms living in the intestines of humans and animals.

Toxocara: roundworms

Toxoplasmosis: parasite transmitted to humans by consumption of insufficiently cooked meat, soil or exposure to organisms in cat feces.

Vector-borne disease: diseases transmitted though the bite of another organism, such as fleas, ticks or mosquitoes.

Whipworms: a slender, whip-shaped, parasitic nematode worm that often infests the intestine of animals, resulting in diarrhea.

Zoonosis: any disease shared by animals and humans.

Zoonotic: passed between animals and humans.

Category: Glossary