More rabies cases in Boone County

According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), a third skunk has been confirmed rabid this week in Boone County. Three skunks and one bull have been confirmed with rabies in Boone County so far this year. Statewide, ADH has recorded 10 rabid skunks and one bull in the same period.

Susan Weinstein, DVM, Arkansas Public Health veterinarian, said, “We are concerned about the dogs, cats and livestock that go unvaccinated year after year. In this case, the exposed dogs will have to be quarantined for six months to be certain they do not develop the disease.”

Of the 11 dogs exposed already this year, only one has been vaccinated against rabies. Last year 90 dogs were exposed to rabies, and nearly three-fourths of them had not been vaccinated. Of the 18 cats exposed last year, none were current on their vaccinations.

“When we find a skunk with rabies in a local area, there are usually more rabid skunks in the wild that will never be discovered,” Weinstein said. “That puts the local animal population at risk, especially dogs, cats and livestock."

“We do a much better job of protecting indoor pets than we do the yard dogs and barn cats,” Weinstein said. “But those outside pets are the ones at more risk of encountering a rabid animal.” Vaccinating the outside animals helps create a barrier between rabies in wildlife and people. Dr. Weinstein urged all animal owners to make sure their pets and livestock have been protected by proper vaccination by a licensed veterinarian. It is state law that all dogs and cats be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian.

Rabies is a virus that attacks the brain and spinal cord and is a fatal disease. It is most often seen in animals such as skunks, bats and foxes. Cats, dogs, ferrets and livestock can also develop rabies, especially if they are not vaccinated. In 2011, Arkansas had 60 rabies positive animals, including 53 skunks, six bats and one cat. Each year the Arkansas Public Health Laboratory tests 850 to 1,000 animals for rabies and averages 35 to 40 positive cases. The rabies virus lives in the saliva (spit) and nervous tissues of infected animals and is spread when they bite or scratch. The virus also may be spread if saliva from an infected animal touches broken skin, open wounds or the lining of the mouth, eyes or nose.

If an apparently healthy domesticated dog or cat bites a person, it must be captured, confined and observed daily for 10 days following the bite. If the animal remains healthy during this period of time, it did not transmit rabies at the time of the bite. Since there are no known time intervals for the length of infectivity in other animals, the brain tissue of all wild animals must be tested for rabies if human exposure has occurred.

What can you do to protect yourselves against rabies?

• Be sure your dogs, cats and ferrets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations

• Do not feed, touch or adopt wild animals

• Keep family pets indoors at night

• Bat-proof your home or summer camp in the fall or winter (The majority of human rabies cases are caused by bat bites.)

• Encourage children to immediately tell an adult if any animal bites them

• Teach children to avoid wildlife, strays and all other animals they do not know well

Report all animal bites or contact with wild animals to the local health unit. Do not let any animal escape that has possibly exposed someone to rabies. Depending on the species, an animal can be observed or tested for rabies in order to avoid the need for rabies treatment.

For more information, call your county health unit or Dr. Weinstein at 501-280-4136.