Veterinary microbiology is concerned with the microorganisms, both beneficial and disease causing, to non-human animal life. For a small animal veterinarian, the typical animals of concern are domesticated animals, such as dogs, cats, birds, fish, and reptiles. Large animal veterinarians focus on animals of economic importance, such as horses, cows, sheep, and poultry.

The dogs and cats that are such a familiar part of the household environment are subject to a variety of microbiological origin ailments. As with humans, vaccination of young dogs and cats is a wise precaution to avoid microbiological diseases later in life.

Cats can be infected by a number of viruses and bacteria that cause respiratory tract infections. For example the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, the common cause of kennel cough in dogs, also infects cats, causing the same persistent cough. Another bacteria called Chlamydia causes another respiratory disease, although most of the...