[ SHOWGSD-L ] Wildlife - Distemper in King CO, WA

  • From: Stormy Hope <Stormy435@xxxxxxx>
  • To: Showgsd List GSD <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 17 Apr 2010 08:14:48 -0700

Perspective is your grip on reality."

----- Original Message -----

  WDFW NEWS RELEASE

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

http://wdfw.wa.gov/

  April 16, 2010

  Contact:

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Capt. Bill Hebner (425)  
775-1311, ext. 115

or Margaret Ainscough, (360) 902-2 408

King County, Christine Lange, 206-263-9752

PAWS, Mary Leake Schilder, (206) 419-6646

  Raccoon distemper suspected in King County

Residents are urged to exercise caution and take precautions to  
protect pets

  King County residents are reminded to avoid feeding wildlife, keep  
domestic pets away from wild animals, and be sure their pets'  
vaccinations are current, in response to a suspected outbreak of  
canine distemper in area raccoons.

  Samples from a raccoon collected in Bellevue have been submitted to  
Washington State University for disease testing, and final results are  
expected early next week.

  Canine distemper is not transmissible to humans but is highly  
contagious among dogs, ferrets, and certain wild animals such as  
raccoons, coyotes, skunks, weasels and harbor seals. Cats are not  
affected by canine distemper.

  "Dogs are normally vaccinated against canine distemper, but the  
disease has become generally uncommon and some pet owners are not  
getting their pets vaccinated," said Dr. Sharon Hopkins, the  
Veterinarian for Public Health - Seattle & King County. "If you have  
questions or concerns about your pets' immunity to canine distemper,  
contact your veterinarian."

  Distemper causes encephalitis, inflation of the brain, in animals.  
Infected animals may have runny eyes and stagger, tremble, foam at the  
mouth or snap, according to veterinarians. Daytime activity by a  
raccoon does not necessarily indicate the animal is sick.

  In recent days, local officials in Bellevue, Redmond and Renton have  
received a number of reports of sick raccoons. King County Animal Care  
and Control responded to a call for assistance last week from Issaquah  
law enforcement and captured a raccoon believed to have distemper.  
Animal Control Officers have also picked u p 3 deceased raccoons on  
the East Side of King County at the request of citizens.

  "Wildlife disease epidemics tend to occur in cycles, appearing when  
animal populations are high," said Kristin Mansfield, staff  
veterinarian with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).

"While we have seen an increase in the number of raccoons this year at  
our wildlife hospital that appear to be infected with canine  
distemper, we encourage people not to panic," said PAWS' Wildlife  
Veterinarian Dr. John Huckabee. "The best way to avoid potential  
exposure to pet dogs and ferrets is to avoid feeding or otherwise  
attracting wildlife, intentionally or unintentionally."

  People should feed pets indoors, and secure garbage and compost.  
Bird feeders and chicken food also attract raccoons. Residents should  
also secure pet doors so that raccoons cannot enter indoor living  
spaces.

  WDFW offers advice for dealing with problem wildlife on its website  
athttp://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/ and PAWS Wildlife Center can offer  
tips for solving and preventing conflicts by calling (425) 787-2500  
x817.

  King County residents who encounter raccoons exhibiting symptoms of  
canine distemper can call (206) 296-PETS to receive information and  
suggestions about potential resources. Animal Control Officers will  
also pick up deceased raccoons.

  Raccoons present a risk of transmitting other diseases including  
leptospirosis, raccoon roundworm and rabies. For information about  
these risks, see http://www. kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/ 
zoonotics/raccoons.aspx

  People bitten by raccoons should contact their health care provider  
and Public Health at 206-296-4774.

WDFW also maintains a list of Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators  
(NWCOs), who are licensed by the department to respond to problem  
wildlife. Contact information may be found on the WDFW website at 
http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/nwco/ 
  or by calling WDFW's North Puget Sound regional office at (425)  
775-1311.

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