An "epidemic" of canine distemper, a disease that usually affects dogs, is killing raccoons by the dozen in three Ocean County towns, officials said.

Point Pleasant Police Animal Control Officer "Muskrat" Jack Neary issued the warning to residents of the borough, as well as Bay Head and Point Pleasant Beach, on Monday.

"I don't know how many exactly, but I'd say we've had to put down between 35 and 40 in the three towns," Neary said. "I've put down three, four of five a day over the last few days."

He said the disease is popping up "predominantly" in Point Pleasant Beach and Point Pleasant, and that most of the raccoons are adolescents.

"It's running rampant through their colonies," he said. "I've seen it before many years ago, but not to this degree. This is really pretty intense."

A dog that is not vaccinated for canine distemper can also become infected.

"All the raccoon would have to be doing is hanging around an outside food or water bowl," he said. "All the dog needs to do to get it is to inhale it."

Attention Point Pleasant Beach Residents: We received a call from Muskrat Jack this morning reporting a k-9 distemper... Posted by Borough of Point Pleasant Beach on Monday, October 15, 2018

"We don't know exactly how it started, but a dog probably had the virus and infected a raccoon," Neary said."Raccoons have no immunity to it, so if they get it, they have to be put down or they will die a slow, agonizing death."

The symptoms of canine distemper mimic the ones animals with rabies show including the fact that the raccoons act "strange" during daylight hours, a post on the Point Pleasant Police Department Facebook page said.

An infected raccoon's eyes will look like they are "gummed up with green discharge," and the animal will "smell like it's decomposing."

Neary said the main concern with the virus is that, unlike rabies which is spread through saliva, it is spread through the air, allowing it to pass more easily to other raccoons.

Humans cannot catch the disease.

Neary asked anyone who sees a raccoon exhibiting the behavior of canine distemper to call the police immediately so the animal can be removed.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.