This is a report of the current state of infectious diseases in the world that affect our pets. A group of world experts, veterinarians and owners combined forces to come out with a report that all can understand. Many of the diseases discussed have high death rates and are expensive to treat and a vaccine is available to prevent the disease. Look for your self and make up your own mind. Remember that local areas also have unique diseases that are important to their area but are not world wide problems. For example all of Wisconsin is in an emerging epidemic of diseases that are carried by ticks, both the deertick and the common brown dog tick. These diseases are a specialized type of bacteria that lives inside of cells in the individuals body, often the immune cells. WI is seeing and increased number of infection in people, pets and wildlife. They are called 1. Lymes disease 2. Erlichiosis 3. Rocky mountain spotted fever 4. Anaplasmosis. Ask your veterinarian about the frequency of infections in your area.