Santa Fe County dog diagnosed with plague in first New Mexico case of 2025
SANTA FE COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) — A dog in Santa Fe county was diagnosed with plague, according to the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH). This is New Mexico's first animal plague case of 2025.
Story continues below
Community: NM Dancewear closes its doors for good, leaving hole in dance community
Food: Los Ranchos restaurant named best spot for brunch in the state by Yelp
Crime: ABQ woman frustrated, two vehicles stolen from hospital parking lot days apart
Film: Do you recognize these 'El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie' filming locations?
The dog has recovered after being treated by a veterinarian. State Public Healthy Veterinarian Dr. Erin Phipps says pets can be exposed to plague by eating an infected animal, or through bites from infected fleas. Humans can also contract it through flea bites, as well as direct contact with infected animals such as rodents, wildlife, pets.
Plague symptoms in cats and dog include fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. They could experience lymph node swelling beneath the jaw. Symptoms for humans are sudden onset fever, chills, headache and weakness. Most cases involve swollen, painful lymph nodes in the groin, armpit or neck.
NMDOH provided these tips on preventing plague:
'Not leaving pet food and water where rodents and wildlife can get to it
Putting hay, wood, and compost piles as far as possible from your home
Getting any sick pets examined promptly by a veterinarian
Contacting your medical provider about any unexplained illness involving a sudden and severe fever
Talking to your veterinarian about using an appropriate flea control product on your pets.
Preventing pets from roaming and hunting
Cleaning up areas near the home where rodents could live, such as woodpiles, brush piles, junk and abandoned vehicles
Avoiding sick or dead rodents and rabbits, and their nests and burrows'
Chances of death in pets and people are greatly reduced with prompt diagnosis and antibiotic treatment. Suspicions of plague should be reported to the NMDOH helpline at 1-833-796-8773.
You can read more about the plague's impact on New Mexico at this link.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
New Mexico health officials: Measles sample detected in Roswell wastewater testing
(Rimma Bondarenko/ Getty Images) New Mexico public health officials on Tuesday announced wastewater testing in Roswell had identified a positive sample for measles. A state health department news release said the June 3 sample result will not impact the number of cases in the state, which requires a diagnosis and often a laboratory confirmation of a sample taken from a person. The sample comes as part of a wastewater testing initiative NMDOH undertook starting in mid-March, conducting weekly wastewater measles testing in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County, Carlsbad, Chaparral, Deming, Las Cruces, Portales, Rincon, Rio Rancho, Roswell, Santa Fe and the South Central treatment plant in Doña Ana County. In an interview with Source NM, NMDOH Medical Epidemiologist Dr. Daniel Sosin said the agency is partnering with researchers at Rice University in Houston Texas for that testing. The wastewater results have limits, and don't reveal when, where or even how many people might have measles. But they do provide warning. In this case, the positive result from Roswell indicates more cases might be coming in Chaves County, NMDOH says. Chaves County 's last measles case was recorded on April 5. As of Tuesday, New Mexico measles infections remain unchanged at 81 cases. Sosin said the wastewater testing program augments the department's strategies for increasing vaccine availability and contract-tracing known cases, and likened the approach to layers of Swiss cheese. 'If you have enough slices, you cover the holes so cases don't slip through,' Sosin said. 'Wastewater is one more layer that helps us monitor for a condition that we don't expect to see in all parts of the state, but could see and want early recognition for.' Sosin said measles wastewater testing is better for early detection or asymptomatic spread, and those detections could mean putting area doctors on alert for additional cases. The major limitation of wastewater surveillance, he said, is the tool is only precise for a general picture and cannot be narrowed further. 'We can't follow up for contact tracing or notifications to reduce ongoing transmission,' Sosin said. 'It's really more of an indicator that [measles] is there and we should be watching more carefully for it.' Sosin said the best guidance to the public remains the recommendation to get two doses of the vaccine to prevent contracting and spreading the measles. The state says since Feb. 1, 34,210 New Mexicans have received MMR shots. Measles symptoms can appear one to three weeks after contact with airborne droplets from an infected person's coughs or sneezes. They include fever, cough, red eyes usually followed by a spotted red rash spreading from the head to the body. Measles can be spread in days before and after symptoms emerge. NMDOH urges any people with symptoms to stay at home and contact the NMDOH Helpline at 1-833-796-8773 for further questions about testing, vaccines or treatment. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Positive measles sample found in Roswell wastewater testing
ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) — The New Mexico Department of Health confirmed on Tuesday that a positive measles sample was found through wastewater testing in Roswell. The sample was taken on June 3 as part of a wastewater testing initiative that has been conducted in 11 treatment facilities around New Mexico since March. Story continues below New Mexico Crime Files: Grocery store worker hands out semen-tainted yogurt Film: These productions were filmed at White Sands. Have you seen them? New Mexico News Insiders: Who Will Fix New Mexico's Mental Health Problems? News: Governor's Office: Operation Zia Shield is different than situation in California The sample does not represent an official measles case, according to the NMDOH. However, the department says it serves as a reminder for Chaves County residents to check on their MMR vaccination. There are currently 81 measles cases reported in New Mexico. The last laboratory-confirmed case in Chaves County was on April 5. 'While wastewater testing cannot tell us the timing, location or number of people infected with measles, this detection tells us there was at least one person infectious with measles in Roswell around June 3 and puts us on notice there may be more cases in Chaves County in the coming days,' said Dr. Daniel Sosin, NMDOH medical epidemiologist. NMDOH carries out weekly wastewater measles testing in Albuquerque/Bernalillo County, Carlsbad, Chaparral, Deming, Las Cruces, Portales, Rincon, Rio Rancho, Roswell, Santa Fe and the South Central treatment plant in Doña Ana County. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a red spotted rash that usually starts on the head or face and spreads down the body. Anyone with symptoms is asked to stay home and contact their health provider, or the NMDOH Helpline at 1-833-SWNURSE (1-833-796-8773). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Who Will Fix New Mexico's Mental Health Problems?
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Lawmakers agree the system isn't working, especially when it comes to how courts handle people with mental illness. A new law promises major reforms and millions in investment toward behavioral health in New Mexico. But what will actually change, and when? This week on the New Mexico News Insiders Podcast, Chris and Gabby speak with two insiders tasked with leading reform efforts about what this law means for judges, access to treatment, and the long road ahead. The state put about $100 million into the behavioral health trust fund in the session,' explained Sarah Jacobs, Deputy Director for the Administrative Office of the Courts. 'It's my understanding that they intend to continue to put into that fund.' Listen to the full discussion above to hear what is being prioritized with the new legislation, and who will have a seat at the table during the reform process. Stay informed with the latest news by subscribing to the New Mexico News Insiders podcast wherever you listen. Download new episodes of the New Mexico News Insiders every Tuesday, starting around 5:30 a.m., Mountain time. Episodes are available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Podbean, among others. You can also watch our podcasts in video form, both on-air and online. Tune in to an abbreviated version of the New Mexico News Insiders podcast on broadcast television every Wednesday at 10:35 p.m. on Fox New Mexico. Full video episodes are posted on KRQE's YouTube page at Having trouble finding the show? Try searching your favorite podcast player with the term 'KRQE' or 'New Mexico News Insiders' (without the quotes). You can also use the links above to find the podcast on each service or listen to the audio player at the top of this post. If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for who should be interviewed on the podcast, let us know! Email your hosts at or Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
