Corpusfishing.com

Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12865

(Corpus Christi, Texas)- Superintendent, Joe Escoto, announced today, that park visitors should refrain from bringing their dogs to the park until park staff can determine why several Coyotes and one dog have died. During the past week, two Coyotes were found dead and two more had to be euthanized due to the severity of their condition. Also, a park visitor reported that one of their dogs died and one is sick after being in the park.

The park has limited information regarding the cause of the deaths but is investigating the possible reasons for the mortality. A Coyote carcass has been sent off for further examination. Please remember that if you bring your dog to the park, you may be putting them at risk. The National Park Service will advise the public once more information is available.

silvershark06 · Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:45 pm Post subject:

Thanks Tyler we all know that we don't wanna loose our better halves Razz

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Texmaps · Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:56 pm Post subject:

My brother in law had a dog die from eating a dead fish on the beach. I wonder if this has anything to do with all the fish carcases left by the red tide.

seanu21 · Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 4:33 pm Post subject:

The Trash Heap · Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:08 pm Post subject:

Nick mentioned after his conversation with Escoto that some of the sick coyotes observed by the park personnel seemed to be exhibiting paralysis in their hind legs. I hope it's something like canine distemper, and not rabies.
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Big John · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 2647

There is also a very, very severe canine flu version of H3N8 that is very contagious and fatal in nearly 1/3 of cases. I do not think this cause paralysis of the rear legs, but is a precaution if your family pet will be socializing with other family pets during the holidays. There is a vaccine for it, and I would highly recommend getting it.

Chances are the dogs and the coyotes have rabies. My wife ran the Dickinson Animal Clinic for a while and saw several animals brought in "sick" and unable to stand, that were immediately quartantined and put down by the vets.

From The Merck Veterinary Manual (2006).

"The third stage is the paralytic stage and is caused by damage to motor neurons. Incoordination is seen due to rear limb paralysis and drooling and difficulty swallowing is caused by paralysis of facial and throat muscles."

Tyler · Site Admin Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 12865

Canine distemper is what it was last time we saw Coyotes with paralysis in the hind quarters. We thought folks might have been running into them with their vehicles.

BALZTOWAL · Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 8:59 pm Post subject:

I'M SURE THESE PEOPE HAVE EXPERIENCE AN ANIMAL WITH RABIES BEFORE AND KNOW THE SIGNS.

Bluffer · Posted: Tue Nov 24, 2009 9:11 pm Post subject:

My dogs are to wimpy to take fishing with me. Wife has them spoiled, wont let them leave the house.....Thanks for the update Tyler.
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Big John · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 2647

The Trash Heap · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 1:46 pm Post subject:

In a way it's good to know some dogs got sick from visiting the beach because that's more indicative of a fast virus like distemper than of a slow one like rabies. Plus, I'm assuming the dog owners would have reported their pets being bitten, even if they didn't see an attack. A dog messing with a dead coyote, fresh urine and scat, or even a dead fish the coyote had gnawed would explain a pathway for exposure to distemper.

There was some success in South and Central Texas a few years ago with innoculating coyotes and foxes using air-dropped baits containing vaccines against rabies. Trouble was that each species usually was infected by a species-specific strain of rabies, and the vaccine for one didn't protect against the other. Then there are other strains endemic in populations of skunks and bats. Any of those animals could infect humans, livestock and pets directly or vectored through other animals, like raccoons.

Animal behavior alone isn't a good enough diagnostic tool to recognize rabies, since there are both individual idiosyncrasies and species differences involved, and since the infectious period may already have begun before overt external symptoms appear. Skunks may show no symptoms at all, and may pass their virus on to their young in the womb, while bats may carry an airborn virus. The rule of thumb is not to approach, much less handle, any wild mammal, whether or not it's acting oddly.
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kweber · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 7:57 pm Post subject:

I think everyone in SoTx needs to take their dogs to the beach.
bound to cull out the un-vaccinated curs, mongrels and fight dogs.
win-win situation.
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bk005 · Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 9:23 pm Post subject:

Hoggeman · Posted: Thu Nov 26, 2009 2:59 am Post subject:

I am staying away from the live croaker flu
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HardScience · Finger Mullet Joined: 18 Aug 2009 Posts: 24

The symptoms observed in dogs have been:
• diarrhea
• Vomiting
• No appetite
• Stiffness of the joints
• Tremors
• Spasms
• Breathing difficulty
• Death

Coyotes have been observed with:
• Paralysis of the hindquarters
• spasms
• dead

There have been 3 reports of dogs dying in the last few day and multiple dogs that became sick and then recovered. Please do not bring your dogs out to the park until we get this figured out. We have multiple local veterinarians and the National Park Service Veterinary Medical Officer
Biological Resource Management Division in Fort Collins Colorado, trying to determine what is effecting the canines.

Jim Lindsay
Chief of Science and Resources
Padre Island National Seashore