(Portland, OR) -- Oregon wildlife officials are urging dog owners to keep their canine friends away from salmon carcasses this fall. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says dogs that eat dead salmon infected with the parasite Neorickettsia helminthoeca could come down with salmon poisoning, which is often fatal. Officials say salmon carcasses become more common around rivers and streams in the Willamette Valley from September through December as salmon gather to spawn and die. ODFW hatcheries also spawn salmon for future smolt during September and distribute the carcasses to rivers and streams in the valley for stream nutrient enrichment. Anyone whose dog comes into contact with a dead salmon is urged to visit a veterinarian immediately.