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For Immediate Release Monday, June 6, 2005
Lyons Cat Tests Positive for Feline Plague
A cat from Lyons has tested positive for feline plague. The test results were
reported to Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) on Thursday, June 2nd, only a
week after a squirrel plague die-off in Lyons was confirmed.
The cat had spent much of its time outdoors where it was likely exposed to
plague-infected rodents and their fleas. Family members noted that the cat had
become very lethargic, had lost its appetite, and subsequently developed swollen
lymph nodes.
Human cases of plague, as well as animal plague activity throughout Colorado,
has already been documented this season, and public health officials want
residents to be aware of how to protect themselves against plague. “Plague
occurs naturally in Colorado, and we want people to understand what steps are
necessary to protect themselves, their family members, and their pets,” said
Heath Harmon, an epidemiologist for BCPH. “Because plague is most commonly
transmitted by fleas, taking steps to avoid flea exposures will be most helpful
in preventing the spread of this disease.”
Public health officials recommend the following precautions to reduce the
likelihood of being exposed to plague:
- AVOID FLEAS! Protect pets with flea powder, and keep pets on a leash and
out of wild rodent habitats.
- STAY OUT of areas that wild rodents inhabit. If you enter areas with wild
rodents, wear insect repellent and tuck pant cuffs into socks to prevent
fleabites.
- AVOID all contact with wild rodents, including squirrels; do not feed or
handle them.
- DO NOT TOUCH sick or dead animals.
- PREVENT rodent infestations around your house: clear plants and materials
away from outside walls, reduce access to food items, and set traps.
- TREAT known rodent sites around your home with flea powder or a suitable
insecticide.
Plague is an infectious disease spread by fleas to wild rodents and other
small mammals, such as squirrels, rats, prairie dogs, and rabbits. Bubonic
plague is the most common form of plague and occurs after a bite from an
infected flea. Plague can spread to humans when an infected flea from ground
squirrels, prairie dogs, wild rodents, or pets bites them.
Household pets, such as dogs and especially cats, can either get infected
with plague from a rodent they catch and eat or can carry infected rodent fleas
home to their owners. In rare instances plague can be transmitted to people
directly from a cat sick with plague. “Keeping cats indoors is the best way to
protect them from getting plague,” said Joe Malinowski, Consumer Protection
Program coordinator for BCPH. “In addition, pet owners should discuss with their
veterinarian the best way to protect pets from fleas.”
Symptoms include high fever, extreme fatigue, and painful swollen lymph nodes
(bubos). If you observe these symptoms in a person or pet, it is important to
contact your health care provider or veterinarian immediately. Plague can be
treated with antibiotics, but this treatment is most successful when the disease
can be diagnosed quickly. |
