Animal care experts around Dallas-Fort Worth are seeing an increase in distemper, and recommend that pet owners be vigilant.

According to a release, Carrollton Animal Services and The North Texas Wildlife Center have recently seen an increase in reports of sick and diseased raccoons with symptoms consistent with distemper across North Texas, including Carrollton.

Canine distemper is a virus with a high mortality rate that affects the respiratory and nervous systems of dogs, ferrets, and raccoons.

Distemper can't be spread to humans, but it's easily spread from raccoons to dogs through the environment and via airborne exposure, such as sneezing and coughing.

Symptoms of distemper in raccoons include being active in daylight hours and acting friendly or passive before developing a fever, convulsions, and seizures. Infected raccoons are often seen wandering around listlessly or curled up quietly in residential areas. They tend to be weak, lethargic, and appear to have lost fear of humans.

There is no cure for distemper.

In Carrollton, CAS notes that the majority of local reports are occurring in the north and west portions of the city.

Some tips:

Avoid attracting raccoons by ensuring trash bags and bins are closed, and by removing pet food and water bowls from outside areas.

When taking dogs for a walk, keep them on a tight leash and avoid wildlife. Prevent pets from using community food or water bowls that could be contaminated.

Get your dog vaccinated. While there is no cure, it can be prevented through the distemper/parvovirus vaccine. Dogs that are unvaccinated are most at risk for catching the distemper virus. Any veterinarian can administer distemper vaccinations.

CAS will host two low-cost vaccination events at the Carrollton Animal Services & Adoption Center, 2247 Sandy Lake Rd. in February and March:

• Sunday February 18: There will be a low-cost drive-through vaccination clinic in partnership with Operation Kindness.
• Saturday, March 16: CAS will hold a $5 rabies vaccination event in partnership with Texas Coalition for Animal Protection, where distemper vaccinations will also be offered.

While it isn’t abnormal to see wildlife active during the day, if the animal appears ill or disoriented, report it to animal services.