Distemper spike in raccoons could put dogs in danger

A warning for dog owners.

A Port St.

Lucie veterinarian says he’s seeing a concerning rise in distemper cases in raccoons, which can spread easily to dogs if they’re not vaccinated.

OWNERS- A PORT ST.

LUCIEVETERINARIAN SAYS HEA CONCERNING RISE IN DISTEMPERCASES IN RACCOONS- WHICH CANSPREAD EASILY TO DOGS IFTHEY5-30, W-P-T-V NEWSCHANNEFIVE'S MEGHAN MCROBERTSREPORTS THE SPIKE THEYSEEING- AND THE BEST WAYS TOPROTECT YOUR PETS.IN HIS 16 YEARS OF CARING FORPORT ST.

LUCIE PETSSICK AND INJURED STRAYSBROUGHT IN BY ANIMAL CONTROL&DR. LEONARD FOX IS SEEING MORETHAN EVER- RACCOONS COMING INWITH DISTEMPER.“ITBEEN FAIRLY COMMON.

WE USED TOGET THREE TO FOUR CASES AMONTH.

THEN, IT SLOWLY HASGONE UP TO FOUR, TO FIVE, TOSEVEN, TO TEN.

LAST MONTH WEACTUALLY SAW 38 CASES OFDISTEMPER IN RACCOONS, WHICHIS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT” THESURGE IN CASES- ALSOTRIGGERING CONCERN BY ANIMALCONTROL OFFICERS.

DISTEMPER ISA VIRUS RACOONS CAN SPREAD TODOGS- THAT STARTS WITHSYMPTOMS LIKE RESPIRATORYISSUES- BUT CAN BECOME MUCHMORE SERIOUS.“A LOT OF THETIMES IT WILL PROGRESS TONEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND DOWNTHE LINE THEY WILL HAVESEIZURES, OR THINGS LIKETHAT” HIS CONCERN IS ALSOHEIGHTENED BECAUSE HESEEING IT IN DOGS&“WE SAW TWOTHIS LAST MONTH AND GENERALLYSPEAKING WE SEE ONE EVERYCOUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE OFHERD IMMUNITY BECAUSE MOST OFTHE DOGS ARE VACCINATED.“ONEOF THEM PASSED AWAY AND ONE ISGETTING BETTER”: STANDUP:ITCAUSING THE SPIKE- BUT DR. FOXSUSPECTS CONSTRUCTION ANDDEVELOPMENT LEADING TO HABITATDESTRUCTION CAN PUSH MORERACCOONS TO LIVE CLOSERTOGETHER- AND SPREAD THE VIRUSMORE EASILY.“ISURE WHAT THE OUTCOME IS GOINGTO BE FOR THE POOR RACCOONPOPULATION” DR. FOX SAYS ITEASY TO PROTECT YOUR DOGS-KEEP THEM AWAY FROM RACOONS-OR SICK DOGS- BUT BEST OF ALL-GET THEM A VACCINE.

MM NC 5SINCE MEGHAN FILED THATREPORT, MARTIN COUNTY LEADERSTOLD US IT'S SEEING A QUOTE,"HUGE SPIKE" IN DISTEMPERCASES IN RACCOONS.

ESPECIALLYIN JENSEN BEACH AND PALM CITY.DR. FOX IS REMINDING PEOPLERACCOONS WITH DISTEMPER MIGHTBE MORE APPROACHABLE- BUT STAY