Arctic fox found roaming Oregon falls ill with ‘salmon poisoning,’ Wisconsin zoo says
An Arctic fox spotted roaming an Oregon city was taken to a Wisconsin zoo where she fell ill with “salmon poisoning,” the zoo said.
Since then, Luna has gone through “intense treatment” to get better, the Ochsner Park Zoo said in a Nov. 30 Facebook post.
Luna was captured Oct. 12 in Portland’s Willamette Park and taken to the Bird Alliance of Oregon’s wildlife care center, McClatchy News previously reported.
At the time, she was seen wandering neighborhoods. She caught the attention of the public with her puppy-like features and bright white fur.
But Luna ended up being a long way from her natural home and was likely illegally kept as a pet because she wasn’t afraid of humans, the conservation group said.
She was sent to the zoo in Wisconsin to join another Arctic fox, Apollo, the zoo said.
Luna was put into quarantine before being introduced to the other fox.
Then about a week after arriving, the zoo said something seemed wrong. She had a decreased appetite and energy levels.
What is salmon poisoning?
Her blood work was taken and she was diagnosed with salmon poisoning, “a bacterial infection caused by eating raw salmon that contains a parasitic flatworm,” the zoo said.
Salmon poisoning is more common in the Pacific Northwest and happens to dogs, wolves, coyotes and foxes, according to the VCA Animal Hospitals.
The infection occurs when an animal eats “raw or undercooked salmon, trout, steelhead, or Pacific giant salamanders” that have the bacteria.
There are many signs an animal may have the infection, including fever, decreased appetite, depression, nausea and vomiting, bloody diarrhea and weight loss.
Salmon poisoning requires treatment from a veterinarian.
Luna got treatment at a “world-class vet hospital,” the zoo said.
She is expected to be discharged on Friday, Dec. 6 and return to the zoo, but she’ll need another week of treatments.
“Her prognosis is promising but she is not completely out of the woods yet,” the zoo said.
It’s likely she got the infection while in Portland as it takes weeks to cause illness, according to the zoo.
This story was originally published December 3, 2024 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Arctic fox found roaming Oregon falls ill with ‘salmon poisoning,’ Wisconsin zoo says."
