Anemia is a reduced number of red blood cells or hemoglobin or both. It is not a specific disease but the result of some disease process.

 

Unfortunately anthrax is being used as a method of bio-terrorism and dogs can be infected, as can most mammals. Birds are normally resistant to the disease. Different animals have different levels of susceptibility to anthrax infection. Herbivores (cattle, sheep, horses) are the most susceptible and humans; dogs are less susceptible to infection. Under normal circumstances cases of anthrax in dogs are very rare.

Obstructive and allergic lung diseases affect many cats and are sometimes called “asthma,” “bronchitis,” or “bronchial asthma.” Unfortunately, these diseases are not easily classified and probably represent a variety of lung disorders. They do share a common finding of “hyper-responsive” or “over-reactive” airways. 

Blastomycosis is a fungal disease caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis. This fungus most commonly infects humans and animals through the respiratory tract. After spores are inhaled, they settle in the small airways and begin to reproduce. The organism then spreads throughout the body to involve many organs. Rarely, infection occurs through contamination of an open wound.