State agency warns dog owners to beware of salmon poisoning disease

State agency warns dog owners to beware of salmon poisoning disease

Source: THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

4/19/2022

Credit: BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat

State fish and wildlife officials are warning dog owners to beware of feeding their dogs raw fish that could be infected with salmon poisoning disease.

Although the incidence of the disease has not increased this year, the agency sent out a reminder earlier this month that nanophyetes salmincola occurs naturally in Northern California waters, and consumption of infected fish is potentially fatal to dogs if gone untreated.

“It’s just something we want to make sure pet owners are aware of,” said Jason Julienne, a senior environmental scientist for the north central region of the state. “A few years ago there was some incidence of this and some dogs died. We just want them to be vigilant.”

A bacteria-like organism is transmitted by parasitic flatworms, or flukes, and most of the northern part of the state is considered to be their native range. The agency is advising dog owners to keep their pets away from raw salmon, steelhead trout and other freshwater fish carcasses.