Naturally occurring tularemia in a dog

Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis, a gram-negative, facultative intracellular bacterium. Tularemia has been documented in more than 100 species of wild and domestic mammals and humans. Dogs and cats can acquire the infection, although clinical illness is more common in cats. Infection is initially local with inflammation at the site of exposure, followed by dissemination via regional lymphatics or blood.