POCATELLO — Raccoons stumbling through Pocatello neighborhoods in broad daylight have prompted a warning from Idaho Fish and Game — a distemper outbreak is underway.
After weeks of mounting calls from residents reporting sick or unusual raccoon behavior Idaho Fish and Game confirmed on Monday a canine distemper outbreak in the raccoon population in the Pocatello and Chubbuck areas.
“Almost daily we get a report of a raccoon that appears sick or acting abnormally,” said Tyler Peterson, a Fish and Game senior conservation officer in Pocatello. “Some callers have reported that the animals appear blind or like their eyes are ‘glued shut.’ Raccoons have also been observed out in the open just sitting on a sidewalk or in someone’s driveway during the middle of the day.”
One raccoon submitted for testing came back positive for canine distemper. Additional carcasses are awaiting results.
Canine distemper is a highly contagious disease caused by a paramyxovirus. It is not transmissible to humans, but it is nearly 100 percent fatal to raccoons and skunks. The disease spreads through contact with infected saliva, urine, feces or respiratory secretions.
“Canine distemper is a widespread disease primarily affecting canids, raccoons, and skunks,” said Dr. Nicole Walrath, a wildlife veterinarian with Fish and Game’s Wildlife Health and Forensic Laboratory. “Clinical signs typically include discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, coughing, weight loss, fearlessness around humans, among other symptoms.”
The disease is always present at some level in wildlife populations, with most cases occurring in spring and fall. Fish and Game said it is not yet known why so many raccoons are showing symptoms in Southeast Idaho at this time, but the agency expects the outbreak to decline as summer progresses and does not anticipate catastrophic changes to local raccoon populations.
Peterson said the volume of calls has been significant enough that he has been responding to raccoon reports on weekends and after hours.
Pet owners should be aware that canine distemper can be fatal in dogs. The disease is resistant to cold, and most cases in domestic dogs occur in fall and winter. Owners are encouraged to consult their veterinarians about vaccinations and other precautions.
Keep pets away from live raccoons and carcasses. To dispose of a raccoon carcass, wear gloves and a mask and place the animal in a bag before putting it in a trash receptacle.
Fish and Game is asking residents not to assume every raccoon they see is sick. Not all raccoons in the area have distemper, and most of the time people and pets coexist with raccoons without issue.
However, residents with concerns about a raccoon displaying unusual symptoms can contact Fish and Game. The agency said it will use a set of criteria to determine the best course of action and will not be dispatching personnel to retrieve every raccoon that is reported.
To discourage raccoons from coming onto your property, Fish and Game recommends removing food attractants and blocking access points to decks, garages and homes.
Store bird feeders and pet food in secure containers or bring them inside at night, clean up spilled birdseed daily, secure outdoor garbage cans and keep pet doors closed after dark when raccoons are most active.