Town monitors raccoon illness outbreak
GREENWICH — Health authorities in town are monitoring what appears to be an outbreak of infectious diseases that have taken hold in the raccoon population at Greenwich Point.
It will take about a week to determine whether distemper or parvo, two animal diseases that can be dangerous for dogs, are involved in multiple reports of sick and dead raccoons, said Michael Long, director of environmental services for the town.
The Police Department’s Animal Control Section responded to several reports of dead or very sick raccoons at
Greenwich Point since the beginning of the month. The animals were not carrying rabies, police said after tests were conducted.
Two more deceased raccoons were found at Greenwich Point this week, and the dead animals are undergoing further testing.
“We’ll see what’s affecting this population here,” Long said.
It is fairly uncommon to see an outbreak of disease like this in the raccoon population in Greenwich, and Long could not recall another case.
While the results of the tests are pending, it was important for dog owners to keep up with their vaccinations.
“We’ll be notifying dog owners to get their dogs immunized for distemper and parvo. Folks should keep on their toes when they have their animals out at the Point,” Long said. Parvo is caused by the canine
This virus is highly contagious and spreads through direct contact with an infected dog or animal, or by indirect contact with a contaminated object. The distemper virus is also be deadly to dogs.
Police urge all pet owners walking at Greenwich Point to ensure that dogs are on leashes and under control at all times.
“Do not let your dog go near any dead or live wild animals,” police said.
The department urges pet owners to ensure their dogs are up-to-date on rabies, distemper and parvovirus vaccinations.
Greenwich has seen little of rabies in the wildlife population over the past five years. A rabid raccoon was documented in 2016. Two cases of rabies were reported in 2015 — in a bat and a skunk.
Two instances of rabid animals were reported in Stamford in 2017, found in a bat and a fox.
Bats have been the most common animal carrying rabies, according to statistics from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The lastest round of reporting in 2018 found 12 animals infected with the disease in all of Fairfield County, the highest number in the state.
Last fall, a raccoon bit three people on a September afternoon in nearby Port Chester, N.Y., and was found to be rabid.