What is Tularemia? Which pet owners should pay attention to in Illinois – NBC Chicago

Health officers ask for pet owners and landscape designers to be aware of a bacterial disease that was found in Central -Illinois this month, is a potential threat to pets.

Tularemia killed several squirrels in Champaign and a rabbit in Douglas County.

What is it, how spreads it and what do pet owners have to pay attention to?

Here is what to know:

What is Tularemia?

According to CDC, Francisella Tularensis is a bacterium that often occurs in animals, especially in rodents, rabbits and rabbits.

People can be infected with the bacteria, as well as pets like cats and dogs.

How does the tularemia spread?

It is most commonly spread through contact with infected animals or can be passed on via ticks or flea bites.

“Dogs and cats will get it through tick bites, hunting rabbits or rodents if they mess up with an animal's carcass who died of tularemia,” said Dr. Elaine Simpson, a veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center in Chicago.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms in pets include a lack of appetite, extreme fatigue, enlarged lymph nodes and wounds, the seepage.

People would experience skin ulcers, swollen lymph nodes, fever, weakness and cough.

“It can be a serious illness to these animals,” said Simpson.

How can you prevent Tularemia?

Simpson said it was of the utmost importance to ensure that your pet has a good tick and flea medication.

“It can be really critical to keep your dog on a really good flea or tick drug,” she said. “If you have in free cats, you should stay inside so that you don't hunt rabbits or rodents. Cats meet tularemia than dogs much more often.”

She also said it was important that her animal smell does not go close to a carcass because the bacteria can be directed in the air.

“It takes a very small number of bacteria to actually generate diseases,” she said.

People can also complete the disease of animals.

Can tularemia be treated?

It can be treated with antibiotics.

The CDC proposes to use insect offices, to wear gloves for sick or dead animals and to mow over a dead animal because it can send the bacteria into the air.

Although it was not recognized in the Chicago region at this point, the veterinarians say that these are good practices that they should follow.