Anthrax kills farm animals in Saskatchewan

REGINA Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture says seven farm animals are dead due to anthrax.

The province says the case was confirmed in the Rural Municipality of Chester located about an hour-and-a-half drive southeast of Regina.

It says lab results from Thursday confirmed anthrax caused the sudden death of seven animals.

Dr. Betty Althouse, the ministry’s chief veterinary officer, says the animals were farmed livestock.

She says the last cases of animal anthrax that resulted in death occurred in 2015.

Althouse says there were a few other suspected cases of anthrax this summer, but all turned out negative.

“We do suspect anthrax in the summer on pasture when there’s sudden deaths in animals. It’s important to get a veterinary diagnosis to confirm whether it is or not. This is the first case that was confirmed.”

Anthrax is caused by bacteria that can survive for decades as spores in soil. The ministry says animals are more at risk of being exposed to anthrax in drier years.

Althouse says the livestock that died were grazing in a slough on a pasture. The veterinarian dealing with the herd is considering whether to relocate the rest of the animals off the contaminated pasture.

The province says animal cases pose little risk to humans, but people can become infected through direct contact with sick animals or their carcasses.

Anthrax can be prevented through vaccination.