Communicable Diseases

The rise in some diseases during warmer months may be due to a variety of factors. There are more animals venturing out into the nice weather increasing exposure and the spread of disease. Some diseases are spread by seasonal vectors influenced by the warm wet weather. Also, more people are going on vacation and boarding their dogs, which can increase the cases of kennel cough and other respiratory diseases. Keeping your dog or cat current on their annual vaccinations can prevent the majority of these conditions.

Rabies

You might have heard recent reports of rabid skunks, foxes and raccoons in the Denver area. Although this is not unusual, the numbers this year are a bit alarming. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, So far this year, 144 animals from Colorado have tested positive for rabies. Although the majority of cases were rabid skunks, 53 of the rabid animals exposed 118 pets, 55 livestock and 26 people. Larimer and Weld counties have already counted 21 cases of rabid skunks this year. And in Pueblo in April, a puppy purchased on Craigslist died in Pueblo of rabies, sparking an emergency alert trying to find people who might have come in contact with the puppy. Rabies is spread through the bite (even a puppy nip if it breaks the skin) of a rabid animal. It is 99% fatal without immediate treatment.

Rabies was virtually eradicated in domestic pets since mandatory rabies vaccinations became common in the 60s and 70s. But complacency and antivaccination movements have helped it regain a foothold. It’s still rare, but without vigilance, it can become a bigger threat to your animals. Vaccination against rabies (yearly or every 2 years depending on the vaccine) will protect your cat or dog from contracting or spreading this disease.

Heartworm

Another threat that becomes more prevalent during warmer months is heartworm. That’s because it is transmitted by mosquitos. It used to be mostly a problem in southern states, but because of today’s very mobile society, it is now present in all 50 states. It can be prevented by monthly medication. However, it’s becoming harder and harder to guess when mosquito season is upon us and that, along with the worms’ complicated lifecycle, has led the American Heartworm Association to recommend 12-month prevention, not just during the summer months.

However, you must test your animal for the presence of heartworms prior to starting preventative medications, as giving the medication to a pet that already has the parasites can be dangerous even fatal. Heartworm can damage an animals heart and lungs, and if untreated, can lead to death.

Although these diseases can occur anytime, they are more common during the warmer months. Make sure your pets are protected from these and other conditions. Give Powell Veterinary Services a call to check on your furry friend’s health records and make an appointment to get them current.

The post Spring Has Sprung – Along with Seasonal Threats to your Pets’ Health first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.

A Bit About Rabies

Rabies is an acute neurologic disease caused by a virus. It can infect any mammal, including humans. The rabies virus is transmitted via the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite. The incubation period varies greatly—typically, symptoms begin within 20-80 days after a bite. The virus travels to the spinal cord, and up to the brain. It then travels to the animal’s salivary glands, where it will be transmitted to the next bite victim.

Symptoms of Rabies

There are two primary categories of rabies symptoms: behavior changes and progressive nerve involvement and paralysis. Behavior changes include sudden loss of appetite, nervousness, irritability, confusion, loss of balance and abnormal aggression. Symptoms quickly progress over the next few days. Animals lose their fear of humans and other animals, often attacking without provocation. Pupils are dilated. Loud noises can provoke viciousness. Dogs will often attempt to swallow sticks, stones and other foreign objects, but may have difficulty swallowing. As the disease progresses, muscular incoordination, seizures, and coma can occur. Death results from progressive paralysis of all parts of the body, typically within a few days of when the first symptoms become apparent.

Rabies and Regulations

Law enforcement agencies and state health departments have strict rules for handling dog and cat bites. If you are bitten by a dog or cat, it’s important to seek medical treatment immediately. The medical team will clean the wound and likely give antibiotics to prevent infection. If you are not current with your tetanus shots, they will administer that as well. Medical professionals will contact law enforcement who will investigate the bite occurrence and the culprit.

If the pet appears healthy and is current on his or her rabies vaccinations, the dog or cat may be quarantined at home for a period of 10-14 days. If the animal seems sick and/or is not current on rabies vaccinations, it will need to be quarantined in an animal shelter. Why 10 days? Because if the rabies in the dog or cat has progressed to the point where the virus is present in the animal’s saliva and able to infect another animal or person, the animal will die or be close to death within those 10 days. If the animal does die, the head will be sent to the health department to be tested for the rabies virus. If present, or if the biting animal was never located, you will need to undergo post-bite rabies prophylaxis. You’ve probably heard about painful rabies shots in the abdomen for 21 days. Don’t worry, that may have been true in the past, but these days, you’ll undergo a regimen of one dose of immune globulin and five doses of rabies vaccine over a 28-day period. Current vaccines are relatively painless and are given in your arm.

Prevention

Yes, it’s as simple as a rabies vaccination. Although vaccination is not an option for rabies control in wildlife—the virus will likely always be present to a degree in these populations—vaccination is VERY effective in cats, dogs and ferrets. However, it takes a community-wide vaccination effort to keep rabies virtually non-existent in the United States. Most municipalities require rabies vaccinations every year or three years, depending on the vaccine given.  In addition, keep cats and ferrets indoors and dogs under your control to help prevent exposure. Spay or neuter pets to help prevent unwanted strays in the neighborhood as well as reducing roaming behaviors. Call animal control to remove stray animals from your neighborhood because they may be unvaccinated or ill.

Give Powell Veterinary Service a call if your furry friend isn’t up-to-date on his or her rabies or any other vaccinations. And don’t approach any animal, wild or domestic, that is acting strangely.

The post More Rabies Cases in Colorado. Are Your Pets Protected? first appeared on Powell Veterinary Service.