Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials remind La Plata County residents of the importance of vaccinating their pets and limiting direct contact with wildlife after a gray fox was found with a transmissible disease.

CPW announced Friday that a gray fox carcass found in La Plata County tested positive for canine distemper, a disease that can be passed from wild animals to unvaccinated dogs.

“We’ve had a number of reports, and the one we submitted for testing did come back positive for distemper. In these cases, any other fox in La Plata County exhibiting symptoms is presumed to be positive for canine distemper,” CPW area wildlife manager Adrian Archuleta said in a news release.

The fox found with distemper was discovered near Bayfield, but there have been other animals presumed positive in Durango, said John Livingston, spokesman for CPW’s southwest region.

The fox was tested at CPW’s health lab in Fort Collins to confirm the disease.

Distemper has been identified only in animals in La Plata County so far. There have been no instances of distemper being transmitted from a wild animal to a household pet in La Plata County, Livingston said.

Canine distemper virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems of dogs.

As the name suggests, canine distemper affects domestic dogs and wild canids, such as foxes, coyotes and wolves, but it is also found in other wildlife and domestic animals including raccoons, skunks and ferrets. The disease does not affect humans or cats.

“It’s not uncommon for canine distemper to be in the wildlife populations, but right now, what we’re seeing it in is gray fox,” Livingston said.

Distemper spreads easily through direct contact with infected animals and most often occurs between dogs through airborne exposure such as sneezing and coughing, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The virus can also be transmitted via contact with secretions from the eyes and mouths of animals, both of which are common signs of the disease, and through shared food and water bowls, according to CPW and the AVMA.

Signs of canine distemper vary from species to species and throughout the length of infection. They can appear similar to rabies.

Sick animals usually develop a pus-like discharge from their eyes and begin coughing and sneezing. They can also appear lethargic with a diminished appetite and vomiting. As the disease attacks the nervous system, animals can develop tremors, seizures, uncontrolled chewing and salivation, and paralysis. Thickened paw pads are another symptom.

Wild animals can lose their fear of humans, wander around disoriented in the daylight and can occasionally be aggressive, according to a CPW fact sheet.

Distemper is usually fatal in dogs and those that do survive often have permanent and irreparable nervous system damage. There is no cure, according to the AVMA.

“What led to us letting the public know about this is we have such an outdoor-centric community,” Livingston said. “If people are out and about with their pets, (we) want to let them know if they do see a fox that’s behaving irregularly or if they come across a fox carcass, we really want people not to handle it or especially to let their dogs get around those carcasses or animals.”

Up-to-date vaccinations are the best way to protect household pets.

Puppies typically receive their first canine distemper vaccine at 6 to 8 weeks of age and then receive follow up vaccines every two to four weeks until 16 weeks of age, according to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s vaccination guidelines.

Dogs then get an initial booster at either 6 months or 1 year and then boosters every three years.

According to CPW, other safety precautions include:

CPW also warns against feeding wildlife, which can cause animals to congregate and further spread disease. Winter feeding can be particularly dangerous and exacerbate disease because animals stressed by winter conditions are more susceptible to diseases, according to a CPW news release.

If suspected cases of distemper are discovered in other counties of Southwest Colorado, CPW plans to test the animals, Livingston said. The goal would be to understand the prevalence of the disease.

Residents should call CPW if they see a fox or another animal exhibiting symptoms.

“If you find a carcass, you can call it into to CPW,” Livingston said. “If you’ve had contact with an animal from the human side, contact your local public health department.”

ahannon@durangoherald.com