TIERRA VERDE, Fla. — Pinellas County Parks officials are warning dog owners of a potentially deadly virus that was recently found at Fort De Soto Park.
There are signs posted around the area’s dog park to let people know that canine distemper, which is a highly contagious and fast-spreading virus for dogs, was confirmed in the area.
“Apparently, it’s been identified somewhere in the area,” said Mike Lancaster, who was at Fort De Soto’s dog park with his dog, Trouble.
According to the park, distemper can be deadly if dogs are of a certain age or if they aren’t vaccinated.
“Apparently, it’s the raccoons that are spreading this distemper around,” Lancaster said.
He and Trouble were still enjoying a foggy day at the park, though, because Trouble is fully vaccinated so Lancaster said he’s not overly worried.
Nighttime, however, is a different story.
“I’m less concerned about the dog park,” Lancaster said. “I’m actually mostly concerned about the raccoons and protecting kind of like the campsite and … bringing in our outdoor dog bowls at night.”
It’s a precaution that he says is necessary to protect his dog, even though he has proper vaccinations.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, any dog is still at risk of getting distemper so taking precautions, especially if you’re bringing them to Fort De Soto, should be considered.
“You know, canine distemper is a big thing,” Lancaster said. “That’s why all dogs should be vaccinated against it.”
This announcement comes as cases of the flu for dogs continue to spread around the Bay Area.
The Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center officials say they have seen an increase in respiratory infections in some of the dogs at the shelter.
In response, officials say they’re taking measures to limit the spread by monitoring all of dogs they have, and they are quickly treating any dog that might be sick.
It’s important to note that both distemper and this strand of the flu are not transmittable to humans.
