Vets are warning all dog owners about a potentially deadly disease impacting dogs who play in some bodies of water.
It’s often called “salmon poisoning disease” or “fish disease,” and it’s exclusive to the Pacific Northwest.
Seatown Veterinary Owner Kary Emery tells us a fun day of swimming with your dog in PNW waters can be fatal if they ingest raw fish, saying the symptoms of this disease come on quickly.
“It’s a very regional thing to the northwest, it’s Vancouver Island, Washington, Oregon, and Northern California,” Emery said. “It’s actually a bacterial infection that dogs get when eating wild salmon or undercooked fish,” she said.
Salmon isn’t the only carrier, other animals and fish are also included.
“It can be salmon, it can be steelhead trout, even some weird little salamanders,” Emery said.
She tells us the cases aren’t rampant but are serious when they do pop up.
“Enlarged lymph nodes, vomiting, diarrhea, fevers, they can even have seizures, or die,” Emery said. “It’s really important to identify them early.”
She said symptoms start within two days of infection, and if left untreated, can be deadly within two weeks.
“They usually recover within a couple of days once they start antibiotics, usually within 72 hours, but if they’re really sick, though, they will need more than that,” Emery said.
Emery warns dog owners to keep an eye on what their pet ingests while out on the water and monitor any potential symptoms later on.
She says if you suspect your dog may be sick after swimming, get them to the vet immediately. She said reporting when the symptoms began, what they are, and where your dog came into contact with water is key information for the vet.
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