Raccoons are susceptible to a large number of different infectious agents including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Several of these infectious diseases are zoonotic. Veterinarians are faced with the diagnosis and treatment of wildlife including raccoons and need to be able to make the correct diagnosis as well as educate clients on the potential hazards associated with exposure to raccoons.
Leptospirosis is a common bacterial disease in raccoons caused by a number of different species of
Leptospira. Transmission is thought to occur via urine contamination of feed and water. Other natural bacterial infections reported in raccoons are listeriosis,yersiniosis,pasteurellosis, and tularemia.
Viral diseases of raccoons include rabies, canine distemper, raccoon parvoviralenteritis, infectious canine hepatitis, and pseudorabies.