In January 2023, a dog in Clearwater County, MN tested positive for rabies after being exposed to an infected skunk nearly two months earlier.  The skunk was seen jumping near the dog and wandering around an outside food dish where it was shot and discarded by the dog's owner.

At the end of December, the dog, which was not vaccinated against rabies, began displaying signs including choking, drooling, and an inability to swallow.  The dog tested positive for Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis and passed away a few days after it's initial veterinary visit.

Samples were sent to the University of Minnesota Diagnostic Laboratory which confirmed a rabies diagnosis, the first in a domestic dog since 2018.  Five other dogs also on the property were put into rabies quarantine and the owner and their household received post-exposure prophylaxis.

In Wisconsin, primary vectors of rabies are bats and skunks, and bats have accounted for nearly 98% of all diagnosed rabies cases in recent history.  Wisconsin has not had a diagnosed human case of rabies since 2010.  Clearwater County is located approximately 150 miles from the Wisconsin border.

While these cases are isolated, they are great reminders of the need for continued rabies vaccinations and the importance of the role that shelters and animal control workers play in preventing this deadly disease.

A mysterious parvovirus has been responsible for the deaths of nearly 60 dogs in northern Michigan over the past month.  The dogs presented with symptoms typical to parvovirus such as lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea, but initial screenings came back negative for parvo.

A follow up diagnostic with the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab has shown positive parvovirus samples, however additional testing is ongoing.

So far deaths from the illness have been reported primarily in Otsego and Clare Counties in north-central Michigan with many more active cases across northern and central Michigan.  Illnesses have  been reported from multiple animal shelters and veterinary offices in those areas.   Currently no active cases were reported in the Upper Peninsula.

Michigan's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued guidance including:

• Keep up with routine parvovirus vaccinations for dogs
• Fully vaccinate puppies before interacting with other animals
• No known zoonotic transmission for parvovirus to humans or other non-canines

​The CSU Veterinary Diagnostic Lab is also providing regular updates which can be found here.

An August report in the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, found evidence that the currently spreading monkeypox virus can be transmitted from humans to dogs.  While it is unknown if dogs or other domestic pets can be vectors for the spread of the monkeypox virus, the ability for dogs to obtain symptomatic infections from human companions increases that risk.

As a result, the CDC has updated its guidance on the monkeypox virus to include information about pets in the home.  This includes avoiding contact with animals when infected with the monkeypox virus and ensuring that a pet does not come in contact with potentially contaminated items such as clothing, sheets, or towels.

At this time the report only covers the likely infection of one dog.  While no cases in cats have been reported, cats are susceptible to the orthopoxvirus family that includes monkeypox.

Beginning last year, increased scrutiny has fallen on Seresto flea and tick collars currently manufactured by Elanco Animal Health.  A report by USA Today and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting found more than 75,000 reports of incidents involving these collars including the deaths of some pets.

At the time Elanco defended the products as safe given that the volume of collars sold was more than 25 million units and the overall number of incidents was relatively minor compared to that volume.  A 2021 article from the AVMA mostly agreed with Elanco's assessment, finding that most actual issues were minor and anecdotal.

This past week a congressional subcommittee investigating this issue came to a very different conclusion.  A 22-page report released by the committee found that since the product's introduction in 2012, there have been more than 98,000 incidents with 2,500 pet deaths.  The report also cited that Seresto had incidents of death five times greater than the next most popular competing product.

A June 2022 article from the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting also showed that the Canadian equivalent of the EPA found hundreds of human incidents and pet deaths linked to the collars and denied the use of Seresto in Canada.  Despite that evidence, the report finds that the EPA ignored the Canadian findings, was possibly negligent in using incident data to properly evaluate the risk of Seresto, and has been slow in re-evaluating its danger.

For its part, Elanco continues to state that they believe Seresto to be safe and it continues to be approved by the EPA and AVMA.

Wisconsin has seen a highly transmissible and dangerous version of the bird flu sweep through much of the state this year.  The result has been the culling of millions of birds across home flocks and larger facilities throughout the state.

This disease is capable of spreading through both wild and domestic bird populations and all animal care facilities should be on the lookout for any bird displaying neurological symptoms.  Animal care facilities should put in place additional screening measures for any birds coming into their facility and take extra care to handle injured or deceased birds.

Anyone who observes sick or dead birds should limit contact.  Try not to touch dead birds or wildlife with your bare hands. If you have to touch a dead bird, wear gloves or use a plastic bag to put it in the garbage. Wash your hands with soap and water after handling and throw away any gloves.

Clinical Signs of Illness

• Decreased food consumption, huddling, depression, closed eyes
• Respiratory signs, such as coughing and sneezing
• Decreased egg production, watery greenis​h diarrhea, excessive thirst
• Swollen wattles and combs​

Additional Information

• DATCP List of Positive Outbreak Areas - https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/HPAIWisconsin.aspx
  
• DNR Avian Influenza General Update - https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/55376
  

 Please read the following fact sheet from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Division of Public Health.

Written by Natalie Morgan

4th Year Veterinary Student Extern

July 2015

Heat Stroke and Our Animal Companions

We’ve all seen the countless headlines that tell the stories of animals who suffer the dangerous effects of Mother Nature’s extreme heat, but what exactly are those effects?  How can we, as animal caregivers, recognize an animal suffering from heat stroke and give them the help that they need?  How can we prevent heat stroke?  The following article aims to tackle these commonly encountered questions.

Introduction: When an animal’s core body temperature begins to climb, the body is normally able to counteract that increase by dissipating some of that excess heat through various mechanisms such as panting and sweating from the paw pads.  Heatstroke, however, refers to the life-threatening condition in which the core temperature climbs so high and begins to have many negative effects on the body’s normal functions and regulation that the body can no longer regulate its temperature and a very serious cascade of events unfolds.  Heatstroke is characterized by a core body temperature above 104 degrees F, central nervous system dysfunction (such as convulsions, confusion, or coma), and organ dysfunction.  The latter two result from the cells that make up those organs getting overheated and becoming damaged, thus no longer being able to do their job.  Heatstroke is more common during the summer and in hot, humid climates.  Additionally, it tends to be much more common in dogs rather than cats, though has been seen in both.  Animals that are outdoors during hot weather and do not have access to shade and water can all too easily develop heatstroke, as well as exercising them in hot, humid conditions.  Both of these situations can commonly be encountered in a shelter setting, whether the animal was picked up as a stray on a hot day, was rescued from a hot car from which it was frantically trying to escape, or if shelter animals are walked excessively in very hot weather.  If an animal presents to your shelter with a history of any of these situations, or if you are suspicious of heatstroke in an animal in your shelter on a hot day, the following is a list of signs you should look for:

Treatment of Heatstroke: 

When an animal presents to a shelter with signs similar to those listed above, it is very important that the animal is seen by a veterinarian as quickly as possible.  Their health should be rapidly assessed, beginning with their airway, breathing, and circulation (the ABCs).  These animals may require oxygen support if it is available at your shelter.  After assessing the ABCs, it is necessary to cool them down.  This can be performed by anyone, and should involve spraying the animal with cool water, placing a fan in front of them, and/or placing them on a cool metal table.

It should be stressed that the use of ice should be avoided. Placing in animal in an ice water bath or using ice packs to rapidly cool the animal’s temperature results in constriction of the blood vessels in the skin and thus the animal is less able to dissipate heat from the body.  In addition, contact with ice can be painful for the animal and also causes the animal to shiver, which is further increasing core body temperature.  Finally, active cooling should only be performed until the animal becomes comfortable.  Shivering and low body temperatures should be avoided.  Further treatment after cooling the animal should be performed only by a veterinarian.

References

1.      Scott I Johnson, DVM, Maureen McMichael, DVM, DACVECC and George White, DVM, DACVECC. “Heatstroke in small animal medicine: a clinical practice review.” Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care. 2006. 16(2) pp 112-119.

2.      “The Prevention and Management of Heat Stroke in Dogs.”Animal Medical Center of Southern California. SDG Publishing, 2015. Accessed July 12th, 2015. http://www.animalmedcenter.com/news-and-press/article/the-prevention-and-management-of-heat-stroke-in-dogs

3.      “Hot Weather Tips.” Pet Care. ASPCA , 2015. Accessed July 13th, 2015. < http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/hot-weather-tips>