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    It's already hard enough looking after our everyday needs, let alone those of our pets. However, while most diseases your dogs and cats can obtain are completely harmless in terms of your health, there are some that can endanger both the well-being of your pet and yourself. We've highlighted 10 serious diseases that can put your pet at risk and where in the United States they might be most at risk.

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    LYME DISEASE

    Most common way to get infected: Slow-feeding, hard-shelled deer ticks are the most common carriers of this disease.

    Pet Symptoms: Stiff muscles, sensitivity, difficulty breathing, fever, lack of appetite, depression, heart abnormalities 

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    ANAPLASMOSIS

    Most common way to get infected: Deer ticks carry this bacteria and their bites can spread the infection.

    Pet Symptoms: Fever, lethargy, muscle pain, loss of appetite. 

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    Q FEVER 

    Most common way to get infected: Ticks, fleas, lice or exposure to animals infected with the disease.

    Pet Symptoms: Fever, lethargy, anorexia, depression, incoordination, seizures and miscarriage.

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    HOOK WORMS 

    Most common way to get infected: Puppies and kittens can acquire this condition through milk from their mothers. Hookworms can also be shed through the feces and passed into dirt, where it can later infect the body.

    Pet Symptoms: Coughing, dark and tarry stool, constipation, poor appetite, overall unhealthy appearance. 

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    EHRLICHIOSIS

    Most common way to get infected: Most commonly transmitted by ticks, this disease can affect all breeds of dogs, but can cause chronic infections in German Shepherds.

    Pet Symptoms: Fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, abnormal bleeding, enlarged lymph nodes, pain and stiffness. 

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    BABESIOSIS

    Most common way to get infected: Two species of ticks, the brown dog tick and the American dog tick, can spread the disease.

    Pet Symptoms: Pale tongue, gums, nose, fever, loss of appetite, lethargy, red or orange urine, enlarged lymph nodes. 

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    WEST NILE VIRUS 

    Most common way to get infected: Pets and humans can become infected when bitten by an infected mosquito or eating infected mice.

    Pet Symptoms: Infected pets exhibit very mild, non-specific symptoms, only showing a slight fever or lethargy.

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    ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER 

    Most common way to get infected: Tick-borne rickettsial disease is caused by the R. rickettsii microorganism. The organism is carried by ticks and transmitted through bites to host animals.

    Pet Symptoms:  Depression, lethargy, anorexia, blood in the urine, irregular heart beat, discolored spots, inflammation, pain the eyes.

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    GIARDIA

    Most common way to get infected: Ingestion of infected fecal material, most commonly through waterborne transmission.

    Pet Symptoms: Diarrhea that is soft, frothy, greasy and will emit a strong, awful odor. 

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    PLAGUE

    Most common way to get infected: Infected fleas can pass the plague to animals such as rodents and cats. They can they pass it along to humans.

    Pet Symptoms: Fever, chills, weakness, swollen and painful lymph nodes.