This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
Anthrax has been detected in multiple beef herds in Carbon County near Elk Mountain. The State Veterinary Laboratory confirmed the cattle diagnosis late afternoon on Aug. 31.
A dead moose in the area also tested positive for the bacterial disease, according to lab results received by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department on Sept. 3.
The Wyoming Livestock Board says these are the first confirmed cases of anthrax in Wyoming cattle since the 1970s. Game and Fish says the last confirmed case in wildlife occurred in 1956 in Sublette County.
Anthrax can be transmitted between livestock, wildlife and humans. Game and Fish recommends avoiding dead animals and not harvesting animals that look sick.
Clinical signs of anthrax in livestock include sudden death, weakness, staggering, difficulty breathing, fever, and bloody diarrhea. Livestock producers should get in touch with their veterinarian or the Wyoming Livestock Board at 307.777.7515 or lsbforms-applications@wyo.gov if they notice their animals showing these symptoms.
A public meeting will be held at the Elk Mountain Fire Hall Sept. 4 at 7:00 p.m., with participation from multiple agencies.
State Veterinarian Hallie Hasel said cattle have tested positive at four locations as of Aug. 4. She added the cases are unrelated to animals being moved out of the way of large wildfires burning in the northeast corner of the state.
Hasel said producers and their animals should avoid irrigated hay meadows with alkaline soil near the region confirmed positive for the disease.
As for what producers can do to help limit spread?
“Call their private veterinarian immediately if acute death is noted in livestock,” Hasel said. “DO NOT move or open the carcass, and burn/bury as soon as possible following confirmation with their veterinarian. Anthrax vaccination, two doses, is highly recommended for all livestock within the region and spanning a six mile radius.”
Anthrax can be caught from the spores of a bacteria that’s naturally occurring around the world. The bacteria can survive for years to decades in soil, leading to sporadic outbreaks that tend to happen after a period of drought followed by heavy rain. Domestic and wild animals may become infected when they breathe or eat the spores in contaminated soil, plants or water.
Game and Fish is advising hunters and the public to take the following precautions:
- If you encounter dead cattle or wildlife, do not approach, handle or move carcasses.
- Do not harvest an animal that looks sick. Early signs of anthrax can include respiratory difficulty and disorientation. After death, infected animals tend to bloat very quickly and you may see black, tarry blood coming out of natural body openings (e.g., nose, mouth, anus).
- It is always recommended to wear gloves while field dressing or handling harvested animals.
- Do not pick up roadkill or fresh deadheads in the Elk Mountain area.
- Keep dogs, horses and other pets away from animal carcasses you come across in the field.
- If hunters encounter deceased wildlife, note the location or take a GPS pin and report findings to Game and Fish. You can report a wildlife disease incident online or by calling the Game and Fish Wildlife Health Laboratory at 307-745-5865.
- Human cases are rare but precautions are warranted. If you have concerns that you may have come into contact with an anthrax-infected animal, please contact the Wyoming Department of Health and seek medical attention.
For further questions or to report possible infections, please refer to the agencies listed below:
