Raccoon in Clay County tests positive for rabies
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) reports that a raccoon in the city of Ashland, Alabama, in Clay County, has tested positive for rabies. A fox was found in the same area earlier this month. Authorities say that the two cases are probably related. ADPH said in a statement that both animals have posed a significant risk to pets. Samples have been taken from both animals, and additional testing is underway. The ADPH is working with the Clay County rabies officer to develop a vaccination strategy for the animals in the area. The plan will be announced soon. There are two major strains of rabies: a raccoon strain and a bat strain. Both are found in Alabama. Wildlife, especially raccoons, pose a risk of rabies to other animals and humans. The best protection is to keep your animal current on rabies vaccines. ADPH is reminding pet owners to keep their animals up to date on rabies vaccines. State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Dee Jones said, “Vaccinating your animals against rabies is the best way to keep your pets protected from the deadly virus. Animal vaccinations also help protect people. People are often exposed when the animal first becomes sick and before rabies can be confirmed.” Fifteen people in Russell and Lee County, as well as pets, were recently exposed to rabies by a rabid cat this summer. A fox in Houston County tested positive for rabies in April. A raccoon in Houston County tested positive for rabies in February. Alabama law requires that all dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated at three months of age and annually unless they receive a three-year rabies vaccine. The first rabies vaccination is only good for one year, regardless of which vaccine a pet gets. The best way to combat rabies is prevention: · Taking precautions with wildlife. · Make sure their pets are current on rabies vaccinations. · Always report any animal bite or other exposures to their medical provider and the ADPH. · Do not let pets run loose. Keep them in the house or in a pen or enclosure. · Do not leave uneaten pet food or scraps near your residence. · Do not illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets. · Do not go near wildlife or domestic animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner. · Caution children not to go near any stray or wild animal, regardless of its behavior. Rabies is fatal for humans and pets alike. There is no treatment. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Fox in Clay County was discovered with rabies
Rabies remains a serious concern in Alabama. The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) reports that a fox in the city of Ashland, Alabama, in Clay County, has tested positive for rabies. The fox was reported to the local law enforcement as acting strangely and stumbling around in the city limits. The police were able to capture it. The fox tested positive for rabies. No other animals were known to be exposed, but there were a few domestic animals on the property that were not vaccinated. The fox is having additional tests to identify the strain of rabies. There are two major strains of rabies: a raccoon strain and a bat strain. Both are found in Alabama. Wildlife, especially, raccoons, pose a risk of rabies to other animals and humans. The best protection is to keep your animal current on rabies vaccines. ADPH is reminding pet owners to keep their animals up to date on rabies vaccines. State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Dee Jones said, “Vaccinating your animals against rabies is the best way to keep your pets protected from the deadly virus. Animal vaccinations also help protect people. People are often exposed when the animal first becomes sick and before rabies can be confirmed.” 15 people in Russell and Lee County as well as pets were recently exposed to rabies by a rabid cat last month. A fox in Houston County tested positive for rabies in April. A raccoon in Houston County tested positive for rabies in February. Alabama law requires that all dogs, cats, and ferrets be vaccinated at 3 months of age and annually unless they receive a three-year rabies vaccine. The first rabies vaccination is only good for one year, regardless of which vaccine a pet gets. The best way to combat rabies is prevention: · Taking precautions with wildlife. · Make sure their pets are current on rabies vaccinations. · Always reporting an animal bite or other exposures to their medical provider and the ADPH. To avoid possible exposures to rabies: · Do not let pets run loose; confine pets in a fenced-in area or with a leash. · Do not leave uneaten pet food or scraps near your residence. · Do not illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets. · Do not go near wildlife or domestic animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner. · Caution children not to go near any stray or wild animal, regardless of its behavior. Rabies is fatal for humans and pets alike. There is no treatment. For more information, visit the ADPH website. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
15 people exposed to rabies after cat contracts rabies in Russell county
The Alabama Department of Public Health reported that a cat in Russell County had contracted rabies. That cat exposed four family members from Hurtsboro to the deadly illness and 11 staff members at an Opelika veterinary hospital. In another incident, a laboratory confirmed that a Lee County raccoon had rabies, exposing one person. The most common variant found in domestic animals is the raccoon variant. Rabies infections in raccoons are common in some areas of Alabama, including Russell and Lee counties. Raccoons frequently visit homes and farmsteads to forage in the garbage or to eat pet food left out for the pets. Raccoons are intelligent and can easily be trained to return to a backyard for food. Some people have even illegally made them into pets. Do not do that. Raccoons are very susceptible to rabies, and their lifestyle and diet mean that if rabies is in their forest, they will likely become exposed to it. Dr. Dee Jones is the State Public Health Veterinarian. “Vaccinating your animals against rabies is the best way to keep your pets protected from the deadly virus,” Dr. Jones said. “Animal vaccinations also help protect people, who many times are exposed when the animal first becomes sick and before rabies can be confirmed, just as with this recent case in a cat.” The cat in question was a stray cat that attacked the owner’s dog. The family was exposed at that time. Wisely on their part, the cat was then presented to the local veterinary hospital, where it was placed in quarantine. The cat died and tested positive for rabies on Friday, August 11. One person in the clinic was bitten by the rabid cat, and ten were exposed indirectly. All fifteen exposed people were sent to East Alabama Medical Center for post-exposure prophylactic treatment for rabies and had been treated as of the evening of August 11. Dr. Homer S. Bruce is the Lee County rabies officer. “The key here is that all of the owner’s pets had received a previous rabies vaccination, and all have received rabies booster vaccinations post-exposure,” Dr. Bruce said. “Rabies vaccinations are so important in protecting your pets from rabies and thereby protecting humans from exposure through their pets.” Alabama law requires all dogs, cats, and ferrets to be vaccinated at three months of age and annually after that unless they receive a 3-year rabies vaccine. The first rabies vaccination is only good for one year, regardless of which vaccine a pet receives. Rabies prevention is multifaceted. It involves taking precautions with wildlife, ensuring their pets are current on rabies vaccinations, and always reporting an animal bite or other exposures to their medical provider and the Alabama Department of Public Health. In addition to vaccination, area residents are advised to take the following precautions to avoid possible exposures to rabies: * Do not allow pets to run loose, confine within a fenced-in area or with a leash. * Do not leave uneaten pet food or scraps near your residence. * Do not illegally feed or keep wildlife as pets. * Do not go near wildlife or domestic animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner. * Caution children not to go near any stray or wild animal, regardless of its behavior. “I ask everyone to please check their pet’s rabies vaccination status and to get them boosted immediately if they are not up to date,” Dr. Bruce said. “Lastly, stray animals hanging around your property can expose you, your children, your pets, and your livestock to rabies. Please contact your local animal control agency for assistance with stray animals on your property. As always, please be ever vigilant and aware of wild animals hanging around and or acting out of place on your property.” Rabies is endemic in the state of Alabama. The raccoon and bat variants of the disease are found here. Do not handle either raccoons or bats. Each year, Alabama participates in an Oral Rabies Vaccine (ORV) Program to control the spread of rabies in wildlife. That especially targets raccoons. Contact your veterinarian if you cannot determine your pet’s vaccination status. Please call (334) 745-0060 if you have questions about rabies. Contact your veterinarian if you cannot determine your pet’s vaccination status. For more information, visit the Alabama Public Health website. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
