Which states are considered pet disease hot spots?

Recently, it has seemed like there has been an increase in reports of disease among pets. From Giardia to Parvovirus, there are any number of pet diseases that we are seeing pop up more and more lately. So which states are considered hot spots?

According to a press email we received on behalf of Forbes Advisor, there are a few states that are considered the riskiest when it comes to an increased risk of your pet contracting a disease. So which states are at the top of the list when it comes to pet disease concerns?

At the top of the list, we have the state of Maine, which apparently has the highest rate of pet disease across all 50 states. It is said that 6.95% of all tests are positive for either disease or parasites. This makes the state “the nation’s pet disease hotspot” for both dogs and cats. At the top of the list of issues for dogs in the state of Maine, we have tick borne diseases.

However, Maine is not the only hotspot among the 50 states. Mississippi is another state where pet parents will want to be on the lookout. That is because cats are more at risk in the state with 4.53% positive tests. (And in terms of hot spots for pet disease in general, Mississippi is actually in the eighth spot on the list in general.)

Which states are hot spots for disease among dogs and cats?

Another hotspot is actually Vermont. Vermont comes in second in terms of infection for both cats and dogs. They see 6.17% of all tests being positive for parasites or diseases. When it comes to the most common issue for dogs we are looking at Lyme disease and other tick borne diseases again, just like with Maine. And if you’re looking at issues faced by cats, most of them are dealing with roundworm in the state.

Honestly, we were even more surprised to learn that a third New England state made the top 10 of hotspots for disease. That state is New Hampshire, which actually came in in the third spot for rate of infection.

So which state came in fourth? That would be West Virginia at a rate of 5.02%. Sadly, we did have another New England state in the top 10, with Connecticut coming in fifth. And it probably does not come as a surprise that in the sixth spot we had Massachusetts, in the seventh spot we had Rhode Island, and in the 10th spot, although not a New England state, but definitely a neighbor, we had New York. So yes, all of New England is considered a hotspot.

Honestly, we were surprised by these results. We would not have expected for all of the New England states to be in the top 10 for disease hotspots. That being said, it probably should not have been a surprise when considering ticks are prevalent in the area, especially in the warmer months.

And if you’re wondering which state had the lowest rate of disease among pets, that would be South Dakota with just 1.53% testing positive for diseases.

Another thing this report looked at is what these pets are testing positive for. Among dogs, it seems that Giardia is the most prevalent parasite, while cats are mostly dealing with roundworm. It’s important to know these things, so that we also know what to be on the lookout for, especially if we live in the states that are considered hotspots.

What do you think of these results? Are you surprised by which states are hotspots for pet disease? Did you expect to find all of the New England states in the top 10? Let us know what you think in the comments below.