'Zombie' Raccoons Spotted In Cleveland's Eastern Suburbs

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, OH — So-called "zombie" raccoons may pose a risk to dogs in Cleveland's eastern suburbs. Two confirmed cases of raccoons with distemper have been reported by the Highland Heights Police.

Distemper causes raccoons to behave strangely. They frequently lose their fear of humans, become emaciated, and can wander aimlessly. Raccoons may also fall over, losing their balance because of the infection.

Distemper is not a threat to humans, but can infect dogs. Preventing the infection is simple: get your pup vaccinated. Un-vaccinated dogs could be killed by canine distemper.

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"If your dog comes into contact with an infected raccoon or ingests some contaminated material, it may become sick, especially if your dog is not vaccinated against distemper. Typical symptoms of canine distemper include: cough, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia. Distemper is often fatal and dogs that survive usually have permanent, irreparable nervous system damage," Highland Heights Police said on Facebook.

Residents in Highland Heights reported seeing strange acting raccoons around the city. Police investigated and were able to capture two of the animals. The raccoons were sent to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) who, along with the United States Department of Agriculture, tested the raccoons for rabies. Those tests came back negative.

After considering the symptoms, officials determined the raccoons had been infected by distemper.

Canine distemper occurs naturally in wildlife and can easily infect domesticated animals. As previously mentioned, and fortunately, humans are immune to the infection.