A warning to Lincoln dog owners. Animal Control officials have reported that two local raccoons have tested positive for a disease called canine distemper that affects dogs and wild animals. Canine distemper is a contagious and serious disease that’s often fatal to susceptible animals.
“Raccoons are one kind of wild animal that can get canine distemper and they occasionally come into contact with people’s pets,” says Animal Control Manager Steve Beal. “Seeing this disease in local raccoons signals an increased risk for dogs in the area.”
Canine distemper is caused by a virus that’s spread from an infected dog or wild animal through close contact and sneezing, coughing or barking, says Dr. J. Dustin Loy, veterinarian and Board of Health member. “It’s extremely important that pet dogs are current on their distemper vaccinations. The vaccine is the best way to prevent the disease in dogs and it is recommended for all dogs.”
He says canine distemper virus hasn’t been shown to cause illness in people. Initial signs of the disease in dogs include fever, watery eyes and runny nose, coughing, tiredness, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea.
Puppies younger than 4 months old and dogs that haven’t been vaccinated against canine distemper are at higher risk of the disease. Residents are urged to keep dogs away from other dogs when sick. Beal says raccoon related calls to Lincoln Animal Control have increased recently. There were 42 calls in February and 25 so far in March. Of those 67 calls, 20 were for sick raccoons and two have tested positive for canine distemper.