Veterinary Public Health


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Contact Information
Veterinary Public Health Program
313 N Figueroa St. Rm 1127
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Tel (213) 288-7060
Fax (213) 481-2375
vet@ph.lacounty.gov
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Salmon Poisoning Disease
What is Salmon Poisoning Disease (SPD)?
SPD is a disease that makes dogs severely ill. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, lethargy, enlarged lymph nodes, physical collapse and death. Dogs with SPD need to be treated by a veterinarian. Illness usually starts about 5-7 days after the dog eats or licks an infected raw fish.

Despite its name, SPD is not caused by a poison. It is caused by a combination of a bacteria (Neorickettsia)and a parasite (Nanophyetus). Dogs can catch the illness very easily when they eat raw or undercooked salmon or trout. The infection is present in all parts of the infected fish, including the slime layer on the surface; one dog in LA County caught the disease after licking the ground where water had dripped off of an infected  trout.  This disease is most common in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States.

Dog licking a fish

Have there been any cases of SPD in dogs in Los Angeles County?

  • Between February 2006 to January 2024, 24 cases of Salmon Poisoning were reported to LA County Veterinary Public Health. Most of the cases were reported in the years 2007 and 2024.
  • 22 cases affected animals living in Los Angeles County and the remaining two affected animals living in San Bernardino County.  Only the cases involving LA County pets are shown in the figures.
  • 72% of the cases occurred in the months of February, March and April.
  • One case involved a cat and all the others were dogs
  • Trout were implicated as the contaminated fish in 16 of the cases, salmon in 1 case, and 7 were
    unsure of the source.
  • Fish that caused the infection were reported to be caught from 6 different bodies of water throughout Southern California: in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Bernardino County. Most of these locations have trout stocked from fish farms in the Pacific Northwest or other fish farms from out of the area. In one case the fish was store-bought, and the source of the fish in 6 of the cases remains unknown.

    Animal Health Advisory: Salmon Poisoning Disease in four dogs pdf icon1
    Posted April 2, 2024

2006-2024 Salmon Poisoning Disease LA County pets Graphs

Do people get SPD?
Humans can get infected with the parasite (Nanophyetus) only if they eat raw fish, or if they do not practice good sanitation in preparing fish. When humans are infected, they experience mostly mild diarrhea. Safe and sanitary fish handling prevents this problem.

What should I do?

  • NEVER ALLOW DOGS TO EAT ANY RAW FISH OR FISH PRODUCTS, especially fish caught during sport fishing. Do not alow dogs to drink from water used to rinse fish caught during sport fishing.
  • REMEMBER – Dogs can smell fish that have been buried to use as fertilizer! Keep dogs away from buried fish!
  • Fisherman should always use excellent sanitation when cleaning and preparing fish.
  • If your dog has eaten raw fish caught from a local lake and becomes ill, mention the fish to your veterinarian.

More information

4.23.2024 California Department of Fish and Wildlife  - Alert about Salmon Poisoning Disease pdf icon1

4.2.2024 Animal Health Advisory: Salmon Poisoning Disease in four dogs pdf icon1
2007 Alert about local Salmon Poisoning Disease pdf icon

Last updated: April 23, 2024
 
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