Wildlife officials always encourage humans and their pets to keep their distance from sea lions and other marine mammals on the beach.A recent outbreak of disease among sea lion populations is giving people and their pets yet another reason to steer clear of marine mammals while they walk along the beach.The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported an increase in the number of stranded sea lions along the entire Oregon Coast – from Brookings to Astoria. Many of these sick and deceased sea lions have suffered from leptospirosis – a disease that can be passed along to animals and people.#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');The Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network documented over 150 sick or dead sea lions along the Oregon coast since the current outbreak began in late July 2022. Necropsies on seven sea lions confirmed all tested positive for leptospirosis.Meghan Durham, a representative for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said leptospirosis is a naturally occurring bacteria that causes disease in sea lions and other wildlife.“It can happen in small numbers every year, and sometimes you get larger sporadic outbreaks of the disease,” Durham said.Although the outbreak is happening in numbers larger than usual, Durham said there isn't any reason to believe it will impact the larger population of sea lions in Oregon.There are no rescue and rehabilitation options for sick or injured seals and sea lions in Oregon. The state policy is to minimize disturbance from people and to let nature take its course, according to the Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network.“There are currently no efforts to treat the sea lions (for leptospirosis) because it is something that occurs naturally,” Durham said.She said to her knowledge there is no correlation between climate change or other ocean health issues that is currently contributing to the current disease outbreak.But because leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease - meaning that people can get infected from animals and vice versa – wildlife officials are encouraging dog and horse owners to discuss the merits of vaccination for leptospirosis with their veterinarian.Brookings, Oregon veterinarian technician assistant Robi Chance says the leptospirosis vaccine is common and recommended for dogs in areas along the Oregon Coast. Leptospirosis is a disease that is not only carried by sea lions, but other wildlife such as deer and raccoons.Chance, who has been in the veterinary field for 30 years, said she encourages pet owners to keep their pets contained at the beach.“There’s a lot of things that they can get into on the beach that makes them sick,” she said.There are a few possible ways dogs can contract leptospirosis, including if they “roll” in a deceased animals with the disease, bite or ingest parts of an animals with the disease, or by drinking water that is contaminated with urine from a diseased animal.The veterinarians’ recommendation to contain their animals goes along with ODFW and Oregon Parks and Recreation guidelines to leash their dogs and keep at least 150 feet away from live or dead sea lions. Close encounters with people can be harmful and continued disturbances may cause stress, including causing mothers to abandon their pups.Brookings resident Bob Oneida said he was a recent witness to a sick and dying sea lion on the Southern Oregon Coast.“It had crawled up onto the beach but was laying sideways to the ocean. The tide was coming in and the waves were washing over it a little further each time. Finally the waves started going over its’ head. It picked its’ nose up high enough to get out of the water, but as soon as the wave receded it dropped its’ head to the sand,” Oneida said.“It was having a lot of trouble. Its’ breathing was very labored,” Oneida said.Oneida said several people were there watching the sea lion with him at Sporthaven Beach, including one with a dog – and the dog approached the sea lion.Leptospirosis can be serious and fatal to dogs.Infection of the liver or kidneys can be fatal for animals if the infection progresses, causing severe damage to these organs. Veterinarian technician Chance says it is best to vaccinate dogs because if they do get the disease it can be difficult and expensive to treat. It is also rare but possible that dogs with leptospirosis can transmit the disease to their owners.Sick or injured seals, sea lions, whales or dolphins can be reported to 1-800-452-7888.For more information on wildlife diseases, contact ODFW's wildlife health hotline at 1-866-968-2600. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });