Resident Heike Kroll from Dortmund-Husen discovered a helpless raccoon in her garden. “He was lying curled up on the grass and seemed sick.” She immediately called the animal protection organization Arche 90. Employee Simone Stier collected the small bear and took it to the vet. He could only release the animal from its pain because it convulsed and screamed. A laboratory test showed that the raccoon was suffering from distemper.
This was the third raccoon in just three weeks that was rescued from the ark with distemper. “And we also had to have a sick fox euthanized,” reports Simone Stier.
Distemper virus widespread in North Rhine-Westphalia
Not that unusual. According to a report from the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection (LANUV), all districts in North Rhine-Westphalia are now affected by distemper. Until 2012 there were only isolated cases. Wild animals such as martens, foxes and raccoons are carriers.
Be careful with these symptoms
Infected animals show flu-like symptoms such as fever, weakness, difficulty breathing, watery eyes and nasal discharge, and diarrhea. If the brain is affected, movement disorders and atypical behavior (e.g. apathy and reduced shyness) can occur. The disease leads to a painful death, and the responsible hunters are therefore required to shoot sick animals immediately for animal welfare and environmental reasons.
Protection for dogs: vaccination
The virus is not contagious for humans. But dogs can become infected while spending time in the woods and fields. Most of the time the disease ends fatally. That’s why the veterinary office and the Dortmund district hunters recommend having dogs vaccinated. This is the only sure protection against distemper.