Reportable Animal Diseases

Listed animal diseases must be reported to the State Veterinarian when detected or suspected in Massachusetts animals.

Particular diseases must be reported to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Division of Animal Health when detected or suspected in animals that are living in or recently imported into Massachusetts. The Division should also be notified if there has been exposure to animals that have recently been exported from Massachusetts. Practitioners should also report outbreaks of other diseases that seem to be progressing and which pose a threat to the animal population (ringworm, rhinopneumonitis, salmonella, etc.). Animal practitioners should also report diseases on the National List of Reportable Animal Diseases.

Table of Contents

Animal Disease Reporting

Reporting Instructions

Please provide as much of this information as possible at the time of reporting

  1. What disease is being reported? Please also provide the name or ID, age, sex, breed, and/or species of the animal(s) involved.
  2. Veterinarian’s name and preferred contact information
  3. Owner/caretaker name, address, phone number, and/or email
  4. Physical address of the animal(s)
  5. When was the animal obtained? If recently obtained, what was the source (provide contact information for rescue, breeder, farm, market, etc.)?

Reporting Priority

  1. Report immediately by telephone to State Veterinarian; confirm in writing or via email.
    • Diseases marked with an asterisk (*) must also be reported to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Epidemiology Program at 617-983-6800 within 24 hours of suspicion or diagnosis.
  2. Report by telephone or via email within 24 hours.
  3. Report by telephone, in writing, or email within 72 hours.

Report Sick or Dead Birds

March 3, 2022: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in wild birds in Massachusetts. Please see the Poultry Program page  for more information.

Sick or dead domestic poultry (chickens, turkeys, gamebirds, domestic ducks, etc.) should be reported to Department of Agricultural Resources Division of Animal Health at 617-626-1795 or through the Report sick or dead DOMESTIC poultry link.

Please report sickness or death in WILD birds to the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) at 508-389-6300 or through the Report sick or dead WILD birds link.

Reportable Animal Diseases List

DiseaseSpecies AffectedPriority
ActinomycosisBovine2
African Swine FeverPorcine1
AnaplasmosisBovine1
Anthrax *All Species1
Avian InfluenzaAll Species1
Babesiasis (Piroplasmosis)All Species1
BlacklegBovine2
BluetongueBovine/ Ovine/ Camelids1
Botulism (Clostridium botulinum)All Species1
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)Bovine1
Bovine Viral DiarrheaBovine1
BrucellosisAll Species2
Canine DistemperAll Species2
Canine InfluenzaCanine1
Canine ParvovirusAll Species2
Chronic Wasting DiseaseCervid1
Contagious EcthymaOvine3
Contagious Equine MetritisEquine1
Eastern Equine Encephalitis *Equine1
Encephalomyelitis (All)Equine/Avian1
Equine Enteric Coronavirus (ECoV)Equine2
Equine Herpes Virus – 1 (all strains)Equine1
Equine Infectious AnemiaEquine1
Equine Viral ArteritisEquine2
ErysipelasPorcine2
Feline CalicivirusFeline2
Feline PanleukopeniaFeline2
Foot and Mouth DiseaseAll Species1
Fowl Plague (Cholera)Avian2
GlandersEquine1
Hog Cholera (Classical Swine Fever)Porcine1
Infectious LaryngotracheitisAvian3
LeptospirosisAll Species3
ListeriosisBovine/Ovine2
Mange, All TypesOvine2
Sarcoptic, Psoroptic MangeBovine2
Sarcoptic MangePorcine2
Newcastle Disease including VVNDAvian1
Paratuberculosis (Johnes)Bovine2
Plague (Yersinia pestis) *All Species1
Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv)Porcine1
Porcine Deltacoronavirus (PDCoV)Porcine1
Potomac FeverEquine2
PseudorabiesAll Species1
PsittacosisPet Birds2
PullorumAvian2
Q Fever (Coxiella burnetti)All Species1
Rabbit Hemorrhagic DiseaseRabbit1
Rabies*  Link to Rabies Protocol and Regulations PageAll Species1
RinderpestAll Species1
SARS-CoV2All Species1
ScrapieCaprine/Ovine1
Swine Enteric Coronavirus Disease
(PEDv and PDCoV)
Porcine1
Strep equi (Strangles)Equine1
Swine InfluenzaPorcine2
TuberculosisAll Species1
Tularemia (Francicella tularensis)All Species1
Vesicular ExanthemaAll Species1
Vesicular StomatitisAll Species1
Viral AbortionOvine2
Viral EncephalitiesEquine1
Viral EnteritisAvian (Ducks)2
West Nile Virus *Equine1

Contact   for Reportable Animal Diseases

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