Prevention and Treatment of Animal Diseases
. Controlling the spread of infectious animal diseases begins with isolating, or quarantining, animals with threatening infections, such as salmonella, to prevent further transmission. Many bacterial diseases can be treated with various antibiotics , such as penicillin and streptomycin. But as with all disease, prevention is more important than treatment, and a major activity for veterinarians is immunization of animals. Immunization commonly involves an injection of a weakened or killed pathogen for a specific disease that encourages the immune system to fight off infection. Many infectious diseases, including rabies, canine distemper, feline leukemia , anthrax, and brucellosis, can be prevented by immunization. In the case of severe outbreaks of infectious disease, public health officials may work with animal owners to destroy large groups of animals. Transmission of animal diseases to humans is a constant concern of public health officials. To protect people from disease, veterinari