Mystery Outbreak Identified At Prince George's County Animal Services Facility

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The mystery outbreak at the Prince George’s County Animal Services Facility and Adoption Center has been identified as a bacterial respiratory infection named Streptococcus Zooepidemicus, also referred to as Strep Zoo.

The shelter was shuttered recently as leaders worked to diagnose the infection, which is highly contagious and mostly fatal in dogs when not caught early. It has not been known to impact cats or other animals within the facility. The infection is causing outbreaks nationwide and is most dangerous in animal shelters where animals are held in close confinement and have high levels of stress, according to the Prince George's County Animals Services Facility and Adoption Center.

Strep Zoo is a bacterium normally found in horses, cattle and pigs that rarely causes disease. When this bacterium infects immunocompromised dogs, it may cause severe pneumonia. There is no vaccine for Strep Zoo and few warning signs.

The outbreak forced the facility to close its doors for services last week when signs of severe illness were first exhibited in dogs within the shelter. Under the direction of its facility veterinarians, Dr. Yusef Abdullah and Dr. Sabrina Owens and Associate Director David Fisher, the staff began immediate isolation, testing and treatment of animals showing signs of illness. They also enacted deep cleaning protocols and policies for all staff.

The facility remains closed to the public until further notice to contain the outbreak. The facility’s reopening to the public will be based 10 days from the last reported new symptomatic animal.

“Our staff was fortunate to catch this illness early, which allowed us to put immediate actions in place to stop the spread and help save lives in our shelter dog population,” said David Fisher, associate director of the Department of Animal Services.

Symptoms of Strep Zoo can be attributed to other illnesses, so the ASFAC recommends that any time a pet shows signs of any illness, seek veterinary care. Symptoms can include:

• Sneezing
• Nasal discharge
• Difficulty breathing
• Lethargy (low energy)
• Fever
• Coughing blood
• Vomiting

Because this illness can progress quickly, pet owners should seek immediate care if they see any signs. However, this is an opportunistic disease and is normally only seen in shelter environments where dogs are stressed and their immune systems are lowered. Shelters nationwide are experiencing increased animal infection rates as intake has spiked since COVID. Many of the dogs at the shelter come in as strays with preexisting illnesses, malnourishment, cruelty experiences or other maladies.

Related:

Mystery Canine Illness Shutters County Animal Adoption Center