Please check to see if your kids are UTD on vaccinations, especially if
you let them play in the grass ~!~!
 
Kevin B & The Way Kewl Kritter Crew    [log in to unmask]
Pacific Ferret Shelter Network VP http://www.FERRETNET.ORG
Oregon Ferret Shelter volunteer http://www.OregonFerretShelter.com
 
--------- Forwarded message ----------
 
News release;
 
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
 
For immediate release
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
 
Contact: Anne Pressentin Young (503) 947-6020
Fax: (503) 947-6200
Web: www.dfw.state.or.us
 
Wildlife officials confirm disease outbreak in Portland-area raccoons
 
PORTLAND   Raccoons in western Portland suburbs that appear lethargic
and have mucous discharge from their eyes and nose may be suffering
from the canine distemper virus, wildlife officials announced today.
 
This disease does not affect humans.  However, dogs that have not been
vaccinated for distemper are vulnerable to the disease.
 
The canine distemper virus affects certain mammal species and is always
present in the environment at low levels.  In most years, a few scattered
cases will occur in individual raccoons throughout the Portland Metro
region.  Every five to seven years, the Metro region experiences a major
outbreak of distemper in the raccoon population, usually in a limited
geographic area.  Such events usually are tied to fluctuations in raccoon
populations.
 
When populations are high, disease outbreaks are more common.  It is
nature s way of bringing populations back into balance, said Bob
Sallinger of the Portland Audubon Society Wildlife Care Center , which
is coordinating the disease response.
 
At least six raccoons from the Southwest Portland area have been
positively diagnosed with distemper in recent weeks and many more have
been observed with distemper symptoms.
 
Early symptoms typically include a mucous discharge from the eyes and
nose, and lethargy.  As the disease progresses, the animal may have
seizures or twitching muscles.  Other symptoms may include a rough coat,
emaciation, coughing and sneezing.  Infected animals also may exhibit
unusual behaviors such as appearing tame or wandering aimlessly.  In wild
animals, distemper is not treatable and almost always results in death.
However, not all raccoons will get the disease.
 
Wildlife officials note that some of the symptoms are similar to rabies.
The two diseases are not the same and rabies is extremely rare in Oregon.
 
Raccoons are a common resident of Oregon s urban and suburban ecosystems,
according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists.  Wildlife
officials have no reason to attempt to eliminate all raccoons from the
Portland area because this disease poses no risk to humans and minimal
risk to pets, provided a few common sense precautions are taken.  This
distemper outbreak will not have long-term impacts on local raccoon
population levels.
 
The Portland Audubon Society Wildlife Care Center is coordinating the
response to this outbreak.  Concerned citizens should call the Wildlife
Care center at (503) 292-0304.
 
[Editors: Question and Answers sheet follows.]
 
###
 
Contacts for this story:
 
Dr. Deb Sheaffer or Bob Sallinger, Audubon Society of Portland ;
(503) 292-0304
Rick Boatner, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; (503) 621-3488
Mike Oswald, Multnomah County Animal Services; (503) 988-7387
Dr. Emilio DeBess , Oregon Health Division; (503) 731-4024
[Posted in FML issue 4491]