Dog safety tips: Veterinarian talks toxic foods for your dog
Veterinarian, Dr. Silas Ashmore, talks about substances that are toxic to dogs on Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Kevin R. Wexler, NorthJersey.com
Apple Valley-based Animal Care Hospital is sounding the alarm about a potentially fatal disease from fish that has affected dogs in Southern California and the High Desert.
Animal Care Hospital officials, which include doctors Ron Boyd and Tess Clark, contacted the Daily Press on Monday regarding dogs that have become ill due to “salmon poisoning disease.”
“It’s called salmon poisoning but can be carried by other fish,” said Suzi Bailey, Animal Care Practice Manager and Registered Veterinary Technician. “A dog is infected by eating raw fish, or even just licking the fish or water it’s processed in.”
Last month, Bailey said her staff treated an ill dog and diagnosed the animal with salmon poisoning disease from raw fish, trout in this case, from Hesperia Lake. The bacteria was carried by a flatworm in the fish.
Animal hospital staff later learned that Los Angeles County is experiencing an uptick in the disease, with two cases also discovered in San Bernardino County.
Most reported cases of salmon poisoning disease in Los Angeles County were linked to raw trout caught during sport fishing in various lakes across Southern California.
“This isn’t something we commonly see in Southern California, but Dr. Boyd suspects many Southern California lakes are stocked with fish from up north,” Bailey said.
She added that the Victorville-based Animal Emergency Clinic had two suspected cases of the disease, where at least one dog died.
“Animal Emergency Clinic is transferring another case to us today … a patient that consumed raw fish from Hesperia Lake a couple of weeks ago,” Bailey said. “While this is only a handful of cases, this is a preventable disease and can be deadly if not caught and treated.”
Bailey and her staff have reached out to Hesperia Lake staff, local shelters, and the Los Angeles County Public Health Veterinarian.
The disease is mainly seen in domestic dogs, wolves, coyotes, and foxes, although it has also been reported in black bears. Cats do not appear to develop salmon poisoning, according to VCA Hospitals.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials in 2022 sounded their own alarm, saying all fish caught or originating from streams in Northern California could potentially be infected with the disease. They added that trout stocked in some waters in the north were more likely to be infected.
Key points
Animal Care officials also share a few key points about the disease and recommendations for keeping dogs safe.
- Salmon poisoning disease is an infectious disease in dogs caused by the bacteria Neorickettsia helminthoeca, contained in a trematode parasite called Nanophyetus salmincola.
- Infected dogs can become seriously ill with lethargy, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and enlarged lymph nodes. Affected dogs often need hospitalization.
- Dogs in Southern California usually become infected after exposure to raw trout, specifically trout that has been caught for sport fishing in local lakes, or water used to rinse raw trout.
- Trout farmed in the Pacific Northwest are used to stock local lakes for sport fishing.
Recommendations
- Never feed raw fish caught during sport fishing to a dog.
- Do not allow dogs to drink water used to clean raw fish.
- If a dog ingests raw fish, especially salmon or trout caught during sport fishing, the dog should be monitored for clinical signs of salmon poisoning disease for 10 to 14 days.
- Trout and any other fish caught during sport fishing should be cooked before being consumed. Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw fish.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
Daisy Hips is a science communicator who brings the wonders of the natural world to readers. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to environmental conservation. Daisy is also an advocate for science education and enjoys stargazing in her spare time.
