Bubonic Plague in Dogs: Symptoms, Types, Causes, Diagnosis & Treatment

Quick Summary

• To treat your dog’s bubonic plague, a veterinarian will typically put him on an antibiotic therapy. The disease progresses quickly so immediate veterinary care is necessary.
• Bubonic plague in dogs happens when there is an infection of the lymph nodes.
• Symptoms of bubonic plague includes swollen lymph nodes, fever, and lethargy.

First thing’s first: bubonic plague in dogs worsens quickly so it is important to have your dog checked by the vet if your suspect he has one. To treat your dog’s bubonic plague, he will have to take antibiotics depending on the stage and severity of the disease. It’s a highly infectious disease so I highly recommend consulting a vet for the proper treatment plan.

In this article I will discuss further the symptoms and causes of bubonic plague, how to treat this disease, and the preventions you can do.

Dogs can contract bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague. All forms of the disease caused by the yersinia pestis infection bacteria. Bubonic plague is the most common form in dogs. It is spread through the bite of an infected flea. It is a serious bacterial infection that can affect both humans and dogs. So personal protective equipment should be worn when caring for an infected dog.

New Mexico health officials are warning pet parents to protect themselves and their animals against this disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that cases of the plague – about 1,000 to 3,000 worldwide each year. This is a typical occurrence in rural regions.

Some important Facts

In the United States, the plague occurs in states west of the Great Plains. There has not been an urban plague epidemic since 1924 in Los Angeles. The flea bite of an animal sick with Yersinia pestis causes bubonic plague in most people.

Fortunately, New Mexico public health veterinarian Paul Ettestad, DVM, told Veterinary Practice News (VPN) that dogs have not yet directly infected humans.“Maps of plague cases in animals vary by year,” he said. “There are some years where we will have over 30 cases in cats and over a dozen cases in dogs in New Mexico.”According to petMD.com, plague is rare in dogs because they are resistant to the bacteria.

Prairie dog colony

The plague may be spreading to prairie dog colonies. And sick animals may transmit it to other wild rodents.

Holly Edd,  writes  that there are three types of plague:

• Bubonic – The infected dog’s lymph nodes swell and drain.
• Septicemic – This type occurs more frequently in cats. Bacteria enter the bloodstream and can infect the internal organs.
• Pneumonic – This type also occurs most frequently in cats. Bacteria may enter the lungs via coughing and infect other people.

Pneumonic plague

This is a more serious form. It spreads from dog to dog, from dog to human, and from person to person.

Septicemic plague

It occurs when the bacteria enter the bloodstream and cause infection throughout the body. All three forms of plague are dangerous and can be fatal if not treated quickly.

Squirrels are one of the few rodents that can spread the plague. It can transmit it to dogs. If you live in an area where these squirrels are common, be sure to keep your dog on a flea prevention program and monitor them for signs of the plague. The plague is a systemic infection that can affect dogs.

What Causes Bubonic Plague?

Bubonic plague is a type of bacterial infection that affects dogs. An infected flea or an animal with infected fleas may bite him. The Mexico dog reportedly had a history of eating sick rabbits.

What are the Symptoms of Bubonic Plague?

Bubonic plague has an incubation period of two days to one week following a dog bite. Ettestad told VPN that the dog in Mexico had “clinical signs of fever, lethargy and anorexia. According to petMD.com, “The infection travels rapidly to the lymph nodes. Where white blood cells produce. The resulting reaction from the lymph nodes is a rapid multiplication of white cells, abnormal fluid build-up with swelling and possible skin breakage.

The most common symptoms of bubonic plague:-

• Swollen lymph nodes
• Fever
• Lethargy

The most common way for dogs to become infected with plague is through flea bites.

Dogs with plague will have a high fever, inflammation of the lymph nodes, and severe discomfort as a result of their swollen lymph nodes. Edd notes that besides enlarged lymph glands, dogs rarely show any other signs of the disease.

The signs and symptoms of bubonic plague in domestic cats can be very hard to distinguish from other diseases, so it is important for cat owners to be aware of the risk factors and take preventative steps.

How is Bubonic Plague Diagnosed?

Your vet will confirm a diagnosis either through “cultures of tissue specimens or fluids, through immunofluorescent testing methods which test fluid specimens, or through blood testing,” Edd writes. For the blood test, two samples are taken from your dog, 10 to 14 days apart.

“The blood test looks at a change in antibody level, and to be positive, the level must change by a factor of four over the two-week period,” Edd notes. “If plague is suspected, the person or animal is often treated while awaiting the results.”When the infected Mexico dog was first brought to a vet, blood tests were negative, but three weeks later, the dog tested positive for bubonic plague. If your dog has the plague, it must be reported to local, state and federal health departments.

What is the Treatment for Bubonic Plague?

Bubonic plague (black death) treatment consists of antibiotics such as Tetracycline or doxycycline. Animals are generally treated for at least 21 days, far after any bubonic or pneumonic symptoms have resolved, Edd writes.

How is Bubonic Plague Prevented?

If your house is infested with fleas or you live near a wildlife habitat then your dog is at higher risk of getting fleas, says petMD.Ettestad told VPN, “[W]hile plague cases in both dogs and cats are uncommon in most of the Western U.S., we encourage people to keep their dogs and cats from roaming and hunting and to use a flea-control product recommended by their veterinarian.

”According to a study earlier this year, you also might want to change your sleeping habits:

It concluded that sharing your bed with your dog could contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, including bubonic plague. Dogs must be kept in isolation to prevent the virus from spreading to humans. You should only handle them while wearing gloves, a gown, and a surgical mask. A vaccine against the Yersinia pestis bacteria is available.

As a pet owner, it is important to be aware of the risk of plague in dogs. This potentially fatal disease can spread quickly and easily.