Infected raccoons indicate distemper still present

By John Dilmore
john@casscountynow.com

The city’s animal control personnel are warning local residents that two raccoons carrying distemper have been seized recently, indicating that the illness – which has normally run its course by this time of year – is lingering longer than usual.
“When I picked up two raccoons last week, it’s like ‘wait a minute – usually distemper is gone by now,’” said Atlanta animal control officer Barbara Adams. “But it’s not.”
That creates a potential health risk for pets, which can catch the disease. While distemper doesn’t harm people, according to Adams, raccoons with the disease become aggressive and could bite children or others who get too close. The danger there, in addition to biting injuries, is that raccoons can carry rabies – and a bite could lead to expensive testing and painful treatment if that disease is present.
But the most pressing safety issue involves domestic pets, such as dogs (especially puppies and older dogs) and cats, which can catch the same strain of distemper as the raccoons if they aren’t vaccinated against it.
The area typically encounters a bout of distemper in raccoons, sometimes skunks, every five years or so, Adams said. The illness they carry is known as canine distemper. Dogs and cats that come into contact with infected wildlife can contract the disease, which is often fatal. Distemper infects the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord.
Adams said 20 infected raccoons were picked up in the fall. “It was like back-to-back, two or three a week,” she said. As far as she knows, no local pets were infected.
Infected raccoons can be easily spotted – the best indicator is when they are out and about during the day. They tend to move slowly, stumble and wander aimlessly. “They walk around in circles,” Adams said.
They may also become aggressive, and shouldn’t be approached.
Adams advises dog owners to check their backyards for the presence of raccoons or other wildlife before letting pets out to roam, while reminding them that dogs should always be kept on a leash while being walked. 
The best defense is a vaccination. Information gathered from area veterinarians indicates a vaccination package for dogs, which includes a rabies shot, ranges from $50-$55 locally, while a cat package ranges from $45-$50. A rabies shot, which Adams reminds pet owners is required by law, ranges from $13-$16.