11/08/2024
🐾 Wildlife professionals across the Boulder County area have observed a concerning increase in positive distemper cases among raccoons. Distemper is a highly contagious virus that causes coughing, nasal discharge, diarrhea, loss of balance, and loss of fear of humans. Unfortunately, by the time community members find an ill raccoon, the disease has often progressed to more severe symptoms like head tilting, stumbling, seizures, and muscle twitching.
🦝 If you come across a raccoon displaying these signs, it is crucial to keep pets and children at a safe distance and promptly contact local animal control. Remember, never attempt to handle raccoons with your bare hands, even if they appear healthy. Seeing raccoons during the day is not a sole reason for concern. Please contact a professional if you are unsure about a suspected sick raccoon.
💉 Preventing the spread of distemper can be challenging, but there are steps we can take. Ensuring that your pets are up to date on their vaccination against distemper and promptly reporting sick animals to wildlife professionals can make a significant difference. Greenwood vaccinates all raccoons who are brought to us to help curb the spread of the disease.
🐕Distemper is not curable and can cause considerable suffering to affected animals. While the virus cannot be spread to humans, it is important to keep your distance from wild animals to ensure your safety and theirs. You can play a vital role in keeping the community safe by staying vigilant, reporting sick wildlife, refraining from contact, and keeping your pets vaccinated.
We are a full service animal hospital located in downtown Longmont. We are open all day Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings. Please come pay us a visit!
