LARGO, Md. — Earlier this month, the Prince George's County Animals Services Facility and Adoption Center (ASFAC) temporarily halted dog adoptions and closed to the public after an outbreak of canine illness. Now, officials say they have identified what the illness was exactly.
Officials confirmed Thursday that an outbreak of bacterial respiratory infection named Streptococcus Zooepidemicus, also referred to as Strep Zoo (pronounced “Zo”), caused the closure. The animal shelter says the illness is highly contagious and mostly fatal in dogs if not found early. It has not been found to transfer or impact cats or any other animals at the shelter.
"The infection is causing outbreaks nationwide and is most dangerous in animal shelters where animals are held in close confinement and have high levels of stress," the shelter said in press release.
Strep Zoo is a bacterium normally found in horses, cattle, and pigs that rarely causes disease. However, according to the National Library of Medicine, affected dogs show severe respiratory distress and a rapidly deteriorating clinical condition.
Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for Strep Zoo and few warning signs.
Symptoms of Strep Zoo can be attributed to other illnesses, so ASFAC recommends that any time a pet shows signs of any illness, it is important to seek veterinary care. Symptoms can include:
- Sneezing
- Nasal discharge
- Difficulty breathing
- Lethargy (low energy)
- Fever
- Coughing blood
- Vomiting
When signs and symptoms first started appearing at ASFAC, workers closed the facility and its services for a week. The staff began isolation and testing the animals, per the advice from medical experts. The facility was also deep-cleaned.
“Our staff was fortunate to catch this illness early, which allowed us to put immediate actions in place to stop the spread and help save lives in our shelter dog population,” says David Fisher, Associate Director of the Department of Animal Services.
The facility remains closed and plans to reopen to the public ten days after the last reported animal started showing symptoms.
Owners who believe their dog may have Strep Zoo should visit their medical facility immediately.
"However, this is an opportunistic disease and is normally only seen in shelter environments where dogs are stressed and their immune systems are lowered, the shelter says. "If your dog is up to date with all its shots, including the recently added Canine Influenza shot, is healthy, and regularly sees a veterinarian for check-ups, it is highly unlikely they will contract this disease."
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