Tufts warns plague remains a live risk for pets and clinics
Bottom line
Version 1
Plague may be rare in the U.S., but Tufts University is warning that it remains a live veterinary and public health issue, especially in the western states where Yersinia pestis still circulates in wild rodents and their fleas. In a new Tufts explainer, Felicia Nutter, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACZM, said cats are particularly susceptible and can transmit infection to people, while dogs are generally more resistant but can still carry infected fleas into the home. The piece underscores that plague is both preventable, through flea control and limiting exposure to wildlife, and treatable when recognized early and managed with antibiotics. (now.tufts.edu)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the reminder is less about case volume than about recognition, biosafety, and One Health coordination. CDC guidance for veterinarians says staff can be exposed through infectious exudates, respiratory droplets, tissues, or fleas, and suspected cases in cats should prompt isolation, PPE, diagnostics, antibiotic treatment, flea control, and rapid notification of public health officials. Human exposure linked to sick cats, and even broad veterinary hospital exposure linked to a dog with pneumonic plague, show why plague still belongs on the differential list in endemic regions. (cdc.gov)
What to watch: Expect continued emphasis on flea prevention, clinician awareness in endemic western states, and wildlife-focused plague control efforts tied to black-footed ferret conservation. (now.tufts.edu)
Key facts
- Topic
- Plague
- Cause
- Yersinia pestis
- Where it persists
- Wild rodents and fleas in parts of the western United States
- Most susceptible pet
- Cats
- Dogs
- Generally more resistant, but can carry infected fleas into the home
- Prevention
- Flea control and limiting exposure to wildlife
- Treatment
- Treatable when recognized early and managed with antibiotics
- Tufts publication date
- 2026-10-15
Plague is back in the veterinary conversation, not because of a major outbreak, but because Tufts University is reminding clinicians and pet parents that the disease never fully disappeared. In a Tufts article published October 15, 2026, Felicia Nutter, D.V.M., Ph.D., DACZM, described plague as rare but still present in rodent reservoirs, transmissible to pets and people, and usually treatable if diagnosed promptly. (now.tufts.edu)
The backdrop is a disease with a long history but a very specific modern footprint. CDC says plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, cycles naturally among wild rodents and fleas, and persists in discrete areas of the western United States. Tufts noted that risk areas include much of the Mountain West, Pacific states, and parts of the Plains and Southwest. People can be infected by flea bites, contact with infected animals, or, in pneumonic cases, respiratory droplets. (cdc.gov)
For companion animal practice, cats remain the central concern. CDC says people can become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats, and its veterinary guidance warns that staff may be at risk from oral secretions, exudates, tissues, respiratory droplets, and fleas. Tufts reported that plague in cats can present in bubonic, septicemic, or pneumonic forms, while dogs are less likely to become severely ill but may still transport infected fleas. With appropriate antibiotic treatment, bubonic plague is fatal in fewer than 5% of cases, according to the Tufts report. (cdc.gov)
Recent and historical case reports help explain why the message matters despite low incidence. A CDC field report described plague in domestic cats in Idaho and advised veterinary teams to isolate suspect animals, use masks and gloves, start diagnostics and antibiotics quickly, implement aggressive flea control, and notify public health officials. Another CDC report documented a dog with pneumonic plague that led to widespread potential human exposure in a veterinary hospital, underscoring that even uncommon presentations can create outsized operational and occupational health consequences. An MMWR report also described a human plague case in Oregon in early 2024 linked to an infected cat. (cdc.gov)
Tufts also highlighted a broader wildlife dimension that veterinary professionals may not see in day-to-day small animal practice. Sylvatic plague continues to threaten prairie dogs and endangered black-footed ferrets, and USGS says it has developed and tested vaccine approaches, including oral bait strategies for prairie dogs, as part of wildlife disease management. That makes plague a useful example of how companion animal medicine, public health, and conservation medicine intersect. (usgs.gov)
Why it matters: For veterinarians, the practical takeaway is preparedness, not alarm. In endemic areas, plague belongs on the differential for febrile cats with lymphadenopathy, draining abscesses, or respiratory signs, especially when there is outdoor exposure or contact with rodents or rabbits. The occupational health piece is just as important: early suspicion changes triage, PPE use, isolation, laboratory handling, client counseling, and reporting. Because pet parents often have close contact with sick animals, the clinic may be the first place where a zoonotic transmission chain can be interrupted. (cdc.gov)
There was little formal outside commentary tied specifically to the new Tufts piece, but the broader industry and public health message is consistent. CDC’s veterinary guidance emphasizes routine flea control and preventing pets from roaming or hunting in plague-endemic areas, while One Health framing from veterinary organizations reinforces the profession’s role in protecting both animal and human health. That alignment suggests the Tufts article is less a standalone warning than part of a continuing effort to keep a rare, high-consequence zoonosis from being missed. (cdc.gov)
What to watch: The next developments are likely to be seasonal advisories in endemic states, continued public health reminders around feline cases, and incremental progress in wildlife vaccination and plague management programs that could reduce spillover risk over time. (cdc.gov)
Common questions
Which pets are most at risk?
Cats are particularly susceptible. Dogs are generally more resistant, but they can still carry infected fleas into the home.How can pet parents help prevent plague?
The article says plague is preventable through flea control and limiting exposure to wildlife.Is plague treatable in pets?
Yes. The article says plague is treatable when recognized early and managed with antibiotics.Where is plague still a concern?
Tufts says it remains present in parts of the western United States, including much of the Mountain West, Pacific states, and parts of the Plains and Southwest.