Colorado Prairie Dog Squad

One of the largest concerns people have about prairie dogs is that they carry plague. However, humans actually have little to fear of catching plague from a prairie dog.

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Did You Know?

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• It is extremely rare for a human to contract plague from a prairie dog. Humans have contracted plague through dog fleas infected with the disease (Thompson, 2015). There has only been one documented case of a human directly contracting plague from a prairie dog bite (Melman et al., 2017).

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• Prairie dogs often perish within a few days of contracting plague, making it very difficult for the disease to be transmitted to humans (George, Webb, Pepin, Savage & Antolin, 2013).

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• Plague is easily treated in humans with antibiotics when diagnosed quickly (Melman et al., 2017).

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• Sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis) is an introduced bacteria from Eurasia, and a few American mammals, such as prairie dogs, have not yet adapted to the disease (Cully & Williams, 2001).

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• Plague is considered to be one of the greatest threats to prairie dog survival, and scientists are still working on treating prairie dogs for the disease through flea-dusting and oral vaccines (CPW, 2014).

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What Can You Do?

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• Wear long socks and pants while hiking near prairie dog towns.

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• Never touch or handle a wild prairie dog.

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• Should you become ill after visiting a prairie dog town, inform your doctor immediately.

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• When walking in natural areas, always keep dogs on leash and treated for fleas at all times.

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• If you suspect that a prairie dog town is infected with plague, contact Colorado Parks and Wildlife immediately. 

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Visit These Resources for More Information:

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Researchers Finding Success Fighting Plague in Prairie Dog Colonies

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CBS News: Colorado Dog Was Key to U.S. Plague Outbreak

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Prairie Dog Coalition: Prairie Dogs, People, and Plague

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