Coonhound Paralysis

[OK Corgi Rancher]

I've never heard of this before today. My step-son has a blue heeler that had a minor run-in with a racoon. Several days later he started limping and one of his rear paws seemed swollen and painful. The next day the heeler was dragging his rear end around and appeared to be partially paralyzed. Unfortunately, the pup didn't make it.

I started searching around trying to figure out what happened and came upon this: coonhound paralysis.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-...ibes a sudden,have not encountered a raccoon.
Coonhound paralysis describes a sudden inflammation of multiple nerve roots and peripheral nerves in dogs, and occasionally cats. It can be caused by an immune reaction to raccoon saliva. However, it can also occur in dogs who have not encountered a raccoon. In this case it is called acute idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis and its cause is unknown.

I've never heard of this before and had no idea, short of a racoon having rabies, that their saliva could be so toxic to other animals.

 

[Mr.Glock]

I guess Coonhounds, Pitt Bulls and Catahoulas are immune. We kept them up on their shots tho. And I have seen our Bluehealers drag coons up quite often after tussling with them all bloody.

Maybe that pup had a weakened immunity or something?

 

[conditionzero]

This seems to be a fairly rare autoimmune reaction and that is why most of us probably have no idea about it. It looks like to survive you have to catch it, and then the hospital has to keep the dog breathing (that is the killer) while the condition subsides.

Sorry for your loss, that is right out of left field for sure.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

It doesn't affect all dogs, and like @conditionzero says, it's pretty rare and can even occur in dogs that aren't exposed to racoons.

The article I posted said any dog breed can come down with it. But it's only one article. There are probably lots of others that may say something different.

I'll look at racoons a little differently now. I know they can be dangerous to some dogs but I didn't know about this. Weird...

 

[T-Dog]

Wow, never heard of that either. Thanks for sharing. Like you, I'll be looking at coons differently now.

 

[JEVapa]

That's too bad, sorry to hear.

 

[GnometownHero]

Raccoons are thick out here by Boomer Lake. My Airedale Gus chases them if they are in the yard.
Scary sounding medical problem. Coons are nasty and targets of opportunity

 

[Ready_fire_aim]

Interesting. I’ve also been told that raccoon feces can make dogs very sick too