Salmon poisoning disease (SPD) is an often fatal condition, occurring when a dog eats raw salmon that is infected with the Neorickettsia helminthoeca parasite. This disease typically begins in the tissues of the small intestine, where it causes hemorrhaging. It gradually becomes systemic, invading the entire body.

Symptoms and Types

The signs and symptoms of SPD include the following:

• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy)
• Discharge from the nose and eyes

Causes

Dogs contract the Neorickettsia helminthoeca parasite when they consume raw fish, including raw salmon, trout, and other fish that contain the N. helminthoeca organisms, like the trematode vector.

Diagnosis

To diagnose SPD, your veterinarian will need to rule out other conditions that are known to cause similar symptoms, including:

• Poisoning from food products or toxins
• Canine parvovirus type 2 (a contagious virus which is common in puppies)
• Ehrlichiosis (sometimes known as canine typhus fever, or rickettsiosis)
• Canine distemper (a virus known to cause stomach upset)

Once these alternate conditions have been ruled out, your doctor will collect fluid from a swollen lymph node to test for Rickettsial bodies. This can be done using the Giemsa stain technique, which stains the DNA of parasites, making them visible under microscope.