 Bacterial infection prompting Pima Animal Care to limit intake of animals
PIMA COUNTY, Jan. 12, 2023 - A dog at Pima Animal Care Center has tested positive for a highly contagious bacterial infection, Streptococcus equi zooepidemicus or “Strep zoo,” prompting the shelter to move to an emergency-only admissions schedule through close of business Thursday, Jan. 19, to minimize the number of animals exposed to this infection.
Out of an abundance of caution, PACC’s medical team is treating all dogs currently in the shelter with antibiotics. PACC is also doing additional testing to determine which specific strains of this pathogen are present in the community.
“We are treating the entire population aggressively to get back to normal faster,” said Dr. Jennifer Wilcox, PACC’s Director of Veterinary Services. “Strep zoo can be devastating in shelter populations, and the impacts of the contagion can be lessened or avoided through adoption and keeping animals in their homes with their families."
Anyone who has adopted or fostered a dog from PACC since Thursday, Jan. 5, should evaluate the animal(s) carefully, and if the animals are experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, including coughing, discharge from the nose, and depression, please come to PACC’s to get medication for them. The PACC clinic is open between noon and 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends. All adopters or fosters who have other pets are encouraged, as always, to keep their new pet separate from their existing dogs and cats for 14 days.
WHAT IS STREP ZOO?
Strep zoo is a bacterium normally found in horses/cattle, pigs, and guinea pigs that rarely causes disease. But when this bacterium infects immunocompromised dogs, it may cause severe pneumonia.
There is no vaccine for strep zoo and few warning signs. The bacterium has caused outbreaks of fatal pneumonia in shelter dogs worldwide due to the stressed and crowded conditions in the shelter. Signs of infection include fever, depression, vomiting, labored breathing, coughing blood, and discharge from the nose. The onset is typically sudden.
CAN CATS OR PEOPLE GET IT?
Strep zoo rarely infects cats. Additionally, there is a theoretical possibility that individuals with very poorly functioning immune systems could potentially be at risk for contracting the illness. Horses and livestock are the source species for the bacterium, and human cases are extremely rare despite regular contact with these animals.
Volunteers and shelter staff have been advised on how to continue enriching PACC’s shelter animals while taking necessary precautions to avoid spreading the bacterium in the community.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR PACC?
The dog who tested positive is responding well to treatment.
The shelter will be accepting emergency intakes only through Thursday, Jan. 19. Anyone who needs to surrender a pet is urged to go to PACC’s Pet Support page and exhaust all efforts to re-home their pet before contacting the shelter. The public may also contact other area shelters.
Emergency intake includes:
• A pet in medical distress
• An aggressive pet
• Any situation involving an injury to a human or animal
For emergencies, the public can stop by the shelter during PACC’s business hours Monday to Friday, noon to 7 p.m., or 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Due to the infection, all intake appointments are being rescheduled. For found pets, the public is encouraged to try to find the owner by knocking on doors, posting flyers, getting the pet scanned for a microchip at a vet clinic for free, holding onto the pet until the owner can be located, and submitting a report on Petco Love Lost.
Anyone finding a stray that is injured, ill, or aggressive, please contact the Animal Protection Services dispatch line at (520) 724-5900 and press 4.
Due to the treatable nature of strep zoo, adoptions and foster will still be open, but PACC will not be offering dog-to-dog meet and greets until Friday, Jan. 20. Monica Dangler, PACC’s Director of Animal Services, asked for the public’s support during this time.
“It is necessary for us to move to emergency-only intake for the next week in order to minimize the number of animals exposed to this infection,” said Dangler. “We will be open for foster and adoption and urge the public to consider adopting or fostering a dog at this time to help decrease overcrowding in the shelter.”
Folks can also consider making a financial donation to PACC’s official nonprofit partner, Friends of Pima Animal Care Center, to help ease the cost of treatment for the 511 dogs on campus.
Media Contact
Kayleigh Murdock
kayleigh.murdock@pima.gov
520-360-2645
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