Sick Raccoons: Usually Distemper
You see a raccoon during the day and it’s sitting on your front porch. Oddly, you notice it’s not doing much; just hanging out and acting weird. You slowly approach it and it doesn’t run away. In fact, it barely notices you’re there.
Looking closer at the raccoon you can see wetness around the eyes, mouth, and nose. It also looks pretty scrawny at a time of year when it should be fat.
If your instincts are telling you this is a sick raccoon, those instincts are right on the money. This is indeed a sick raccoon and it is probably suffering from distemper.
Distemper is the most common fatal disease in the raccoon population. Unlucky for them, they are affected by both canine and feline distemper.
It’s a nasty disease that starts with respiratory symptoms and eventually leads to brain damage and death. Runny noses and eyes and drooling are, therefore, commonly seen symptoms, as well as the “weird” behaviors stemming from the brain damage.
Every year distemper is responsible for the deaths of many raccoons. Some years are much worse than others. From what we’ve been noticing in our interactions with raccoons, it seems that this is a pretty tough time for raccoons locally in terms of distemper.
Here is a short video of a recent call to pick up a sick raccoon. It is sad, but not too graphic. The odd behavior the raccoon exhibits is that it just sits there. And while the video isn’t the clearest because of the trap- the eyes, nose, and mouth definitely show the signs of a respiratory symptoms.
Protect Your Pets from Distemper
Lucky for us, humans cannot contract canine or feline distemper. Pets, though, are definitely susceptible to these diseases.
Imagine an UNVACCINATED dog interacting with a raccoon suffering from canine distemper. It would probably go up to the animal and smell it is some way. Inhalation is a common way to contract it. And since your dog is such a good smeller and so curious about this sick animal that pretty much just sat there, now your dog in infected too. (The same could be true for your cat if the raccoon suffered from feline distemper.)
Good news though–distemper (both canine and feline) is easily prevented through vaccination. Most of our pets have had vaccinations which protect them against distemper. Our advice: just make sure your pet has had its shots.
Removal of Sick Raccoons
Even though humans are not affected by distemper, we still feel it is appropriate to call a professional to capture and euthanize a probable raccoon sick with distemper.
Raccoons with nervous system problems are unpredictable and corralling them is better left to those with the proper tools.
If you find a sick raccoon here in the Akron, Canton, Kent, OH area and need it removed, please give us a call.
Frontline Animal Removal manages all kinds of raccoon problems– from sick raccoons to very healthy ones living in your attic.
Gives us a call and we’ll formulate a raccoon removal plan that works.
For more on raccoons, raccoon removal, and raccoon repair:
