what animals are e. coli commonly found in
Escherichia coli (or E. coli) can affect dogs, cats and humansâand it can spread from animal to human or person to person. The bacteria is one of the most common types found in the world and it is a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract of all animals. However, under certain circumstances, this bacteria can also be responsible for causing disease. Enterotoxigenic E. coli, for instance, is an example of one type of Echerichia coli that can cause disease.