Distemper outbreak could be to blame for odd raccoon behavior in Summit County. What is it?

• Reports of raccoons with rabies have spiked this summer, but Ohio Department of Natural Resources Jamey Emmert believes distemper is to blame for raccoons' odd, rabies-like behavior.
• Like rabies, distemper is an illness that affects the nervous, gastrointestinal and respiratory systems and is often fatal for animals. The symptoms are similar for both.
• Unlike rabies, distemper cannot be transferred to humans. For animals, it is often fatal if not they are not treated or vaccinated, according to ODNR.

With over 20 years at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Jamey Emmert, media relations specialist, has heard countless reports of raccoons acting in strange ways, but those reports are up this summer.

Among the most common stories involve an emaciated raccoon stumbling out of the foliage in broad daylight, unafraid of the humans present. This could be nothing, she said, as raccoons are known to be active during the day, especially with newborns called kits.

Canines on the loose:Animal control gone astray: Akron seeing too many loose dogs, not enough shelter space

"It could also be one of two diseases — rabies or distemper," Emmert said. Although rabies is often a concern in these reports, the disease is rare.

As reports of raccoons with rabies have spiked this summer, Emmert believes an outbreak of distemper in Summit County among raccoons is to blame for their odd behavior.

The illness often is mistaken for rabies.

"We have had more cases (of distemper) this year than usual," she explained. "You get lots of reports when there's an outbreak, and it's usually in urban areas."

What is distemper?

Like rabies, distemper is a viral illness that affects the nervous, gastrointestinal and respiratory systems and is often fatal for animals, Emmert said.

Although routine vaccinations can keep pets safe, stray and wild animals are not so lucky. Distemper cannot be cured, but its symptoms can be treated until the infection runs its course, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Helping animal control:Summit County Animal Control is at capacity. 9 ideas from activists, officials could help

Treatments typically consist of supportive care to prevent secondary infections. This can include fluid therapy, anti-seizure medication and reducing the severity of symptoms.

Distemper is also highly contagious, more so than rabies, Emmert said, so an outbreak like the current one in Summit County can devastate raccoon populations.

Outbreaks usually occur in urban areas where raccoons live in high concentrations. The last outbreak in Summit County was in 2020, she recalled. It came after the raccoon population quickly grew in a few years.

"The more raccoons living in highly concentrated areas, the more likely it is for there to be an outbreak," she said.

Emmert saw a similar population jump leading up to the current distemper outbreak. She did not know how large the raccoon population is in Summit County, nor how many have been infected with or died from distemper.

"What I do know is we have seen more calls this year than before about raccoons acting strange," she said.

What's the difference between rabies and distemper?

Distemper is easily mistaken for rabies as the signs are similar, Emmert said. Both diseases attack the nervous system, causing a variety of overlapping symptoms.

Both illnesses can cause discharge from the eyes and nose, drooling, matted fur, emaciation, paralysis, twitches and changes in behavior, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Behavioral changes manifest differently in each disease, Emmert said. Rabies will likely result in aggression or overly affectionate animals. Distemper can cause confusion in animals. This can result in a lack of fear for humans, which is why raccoons may walk around during the day and not notice nearby people.

Animals with distemper can also experience coughing, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the AVMA.

Unlike rabies, distemper is not known to transfer from animals to humans, Emmert said.

Rabies in raccoons is rare in Ohio

Rabies cases are rare in Ohio, and raccoons make up a slim fraction of those cases, according to the Ohio Department of Health, which tracks rabies in each county.

Between 2017 and 2022, raccoons made up roughly 13%, or 24 cases, of the 210 total confirmed rabies animal cases across the state, according to the ODH. That's second to bats, which had 184 confirmed cases.

There was one rabies report in foxes and cats across the state and zero for skunks.

Summit County had no rabies cases reported in raccoons between 2017 and 2022. In that period, there were eight reported cases of bats with the illness.

Raccoons are active in the daytime

Even though raccoons are known to be nocturnal, they can be active during the day. If the critter is found active when the sun is out, it could be searching for food or caring for its young, Emmert said.

"Babies are ornery, and they require a lot of attention and work," she explained. "So, it wouldn't be surprising if a raccoon is up taking care of them."

Just because a raccoon is up in the afternoon does not necessarily mean it is sick, Emmert said.

What to do if approached by a raccoon?

The first rule of interacting with wild animals is don't do it, said Sara Cochrane, environmental health coordinator for Summit County Public Health.

Wild animals can pass on diseases to people, while humans can transfer potentially deadly illnesses to animals, she said. Additionally, she said, animals can react aggressively toward people approaching them.

If people come across a raccoon at any time of day, Cochrane recommends they leave it alone. If the critter is showing any of the symptoms of rabies or distemper, local law enforcement or pest control can take care of it.

Anyone can also report a suspicious raccoon to ODNR and the county health department, she said.

"We would like a report of it," Cochrane said. "We want to test it but it has to be deceased."

If someone is exposed to rabies, she said they should immediately seek medical attention.