You, dogs, and sea lions

This just arrived from ODFW:

Be careful on the beach.


Sea lion disease outbreak along Oregon coast

Oregon Fish and Wildlife
October 25, 2022

NEWPORT, Ore – There is an increase in the number of stranded California sea lions along the entire Oregon coast due to leptospirosis, a naturally-occurring bacteria that can also sicken dogs, people, other wildlife, and livestock.

Dogs are most at risk of getting the disease while the risk to people is small. Dog and horse owners should discuss the merits of vaccination for leptospirosis with their veterinarian. ODFW and Oregon Parks and Recreation urge beachgoers to leash their dogs and keep at least 150 feet away from live or dead sea lions.

The disease can spread when an animal or person is in contact with urine or other bodily fluids of an infected or dead sea lion.

Leptospirosis outbreaks occur sporadically in marine mammals. Outbreaks can result in increased strandings and mortalities among sea lions. The Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network documented over 150 sick or dead sea lions along the Oregon coast since the current outbreak began in late July 2022. Necropsies on seven sea lions confirmed all tested positive for leptospirosis.

For more information on leptospirosis, visit ODFW's fact sheet or the Center for Disease Control website. For more information on wildlife diseases, contact ODFW's wildlife health hotline at 1-866-968-2600.

yep, dogs should be vaccinated for lepto, especially those of us that live on the coast.

Wow, had no idea sea lion or marine mammals carried it. Rabbits and other furry wild animals sometimes have it in my area so the dogs get their vaccines, though I think one of them is past due now. A friend once told me their dog got it from rabbits peeing around their fence line and the dog sniffing around out there. Dog survived but it was dicey for a while.

Wow, had no idea sea lion or marine mammals carried it. Rabbits and other furry wild animals sometimes have it in my area so the dogs get their vaccines, though I think one of them is past due now. A friend once told me their dog got it from rabbits peeing around their fence line and the dog sniffing around out there. Dog survived but it was dicey for a while.

dead birds here on the beach are, I think, the most common way dogs are exposed, I was also not aware that marine mammals could carry it.

Not sure if that's what caused their deaths, but saw at least 20 dead sea birds in a one mile stretch of Lincoln city Beach the other day.

There is an avian flu going through wild bird populations right now. Some of our local poultry farms were hit by it earlier this year. Was at the Seattle zoo a few weeks ago and many birds were no longer on display because of the risk of transmission from wild birds. May not have been the cause of what you saw, but it is a thing right now.