Flesh-eating disease among pets prompts warning on Vancouver Island
Veterinarians on Vancouver Island are encouraging residents to monitor their pets after several dogs were found to have necrotizing fasciitis, a rare flesh-eating disease.
The Central Island Veterinary Emergency Hospital (CIVEH) says dog owners shouldn't panic but should be aware of the signs of the disease.
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) can affect skin, underlying fat, and fascia – the connective tissue that surrounds muscles, according to the CIVEH.
The illness can infect a pet through punctures or skin infections, and it does not always seems like an obvious wound.
SYMPTOMS
Pet owners should monitor their animals for pain, particularly in limbs, since it's not always noticeable that a wound or swelling has occurred, according to CIVEH.
Some skin discolouration may occur, and animals with NF generally develop a fever, veterinarians say.
If it seems like your pet is in pain, CIVEH recommends that you take your dog to a vet.
"Necrotizing fasciitis is an uncommon disease in dogs but given the amount of cases we have seen recently, it is important that we, as pet owners (myself included) are vigilant," said Dr. Nikolas Bell, medical director at CIVEH, in a statement Wednesday.
"Any patient with localized pain, swelling and a fever should have NF placed on their list of possible diagnoses however this does not mean that every patient with these symptoms has NF," he said.
If your pet does develop NF, vets say they'll need urgent and intensive therapy, as the disease can be fatal.
Treatment of NF is twofold, according to CIVEH. Vets will try to manage the disease – which sometimes requires surgeries to remove infected tissue – ranging from small extractions to amputations. Meanwhile, vets will also start supportive care to stabilize the animal.
Bell says there's been no definitive link between any cases seen on Vancouver Island.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
B.C.'s short-term rental regulations include $10K daily penalties for Airbnb, other platforms
Short-term rental platforms that violate B.C.'s pending regulations can face administrative penalties of up to $10,000 per day, officials announced Thursday.
Closing arguments heard in trial for Sask. dad accused of abducting daughter
Closing arguments were heard Thursday morning in the case of Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter in 2021 to keep her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.