2 cats dead due to plague in Elmore County

A second cat has died due to plague in Elmore County, according to a Central District Health Department release.

The first cat to succumb to plague in the county in 2016 had apparently had contact with ground squirrels before becoming ill in early June. CDHD had released information May 27 about plague spreading through the ground squirrel population in an area southeast of Boise and surrounding the Mountain Home area.

The second cat, owned by a different family living about two miles from Mountain Home, had lived both indoors and outdoors, and also had contact with ground squirrels before contracting the plague. The family and their other pets are being monitored to make sure they didn’t contract the infection, according to the release.

“We want to emphasize that plague is likely present at some level in ground squirrel populations throughout the sagebrush habitat in southern Idaho. With the known confirmed cases in these areas we want to people to be aware and be able to take appropriate steps to protect themselves and their pets from plague,” said Dr. Mark Drew, state wildlife veterinarian in a statement.

The last human plague infection in the state was recorded in 1992, and since 1940 only five human cases have been reported in Idaho. In 2015 one Idaho dog contracted the plague, but recovered.

Residents can reduce their risk of contracting the plague by avoiding contact with wild rodents, alive or dead, or their fleas.

Plague symptoms include sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, and weakness. Often there would be painful swelling of the lymph node in the groin, armpit and neck area.

Pets undergo similar symptoms, such as fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and the swelling of lymph nodes in the jaw.

If people or pets are treated quickly, the risk of fatality goes down.

This story was originally published June 10, 2016 at 12:03 PM with the headline "2 cats dead due to plague in Elmore County."