On Wednesday, Feb. 8, Orange County Animal Services received its second positive rabies result of the year from the North Carolina Rabies Laboratory. The case originated the previous day, Feb. 7, when a Hillsborough resident in the vicinity of Borland Road and Old Woods Road witnessed her dog killing a raccoon on his property. The resident called Animal Control, which removed the raccoon from the property to have it tested for rabies.
In this case, fortunately, the dog was currently vaccinated against rabies and has received a booster shot pursuant to North Carolina statute. According to the law, if there is a reasonable suspicion of exposure, a dog or cat with a current vaccination must receive a booster shot within 120 hours, or five days. By contrast, an unvaccinated animal must either be destroyed or quarantined for a period of six months.
As a result of the positive result, a communicable disease nurse from Orange County’s Health Department will contact the dog owner to evaluate her risk of rabies exposure. The concern in this cases is the possibility of secondary exposure from the dog, as it licked the owner in the face after the incident. As is always the case, a decision about the post-exposure prophylaxis that protects people from rabies is based upon an assessment of all the factors involved in a situation of this kind.
As with any confirmed rabies case, this one underscores the importance of effective rabies control to ensure the health of people and their animal companions. Animal Services Director Bob Marotto stressed the importance of prevention and knowledge in our communities and the county as a whole.
“Knowing not to handle any animal that has possibly been exposed to rabies, even if it is your own pet, is an important piece of information for all citizens of Orange County to know,” he said.
This is the second positive rabies result this month, and the second of 2012. There were 11 positive cases in the county in 2011.
About rabies
Raccoons are a host (or reservoir) species to rabies in our area and the region. Any other animal that becomes rabid in this area is likely the victim of the spillover effect. When an animal other than the dominant reservoir species contracts the virus, it is called spillover. The other species that are most susceptible to getting rabies from raccoons are dogs and cats, groundhogs, skunks and foxes.
The other host species of rabies—in our region and others—is bats. Of the few cases of rabies in humans in our country in recent years, most have been traced to bats. If there is any possibility of exposure from a bat, it is critical that citizens immediately contact their animal control program. If an incident involving a bat—or other rabies vector such as a raccoon or skunk—should occur outside regular hours of service, an Animal Control Officer should be reached right away through Emergency Communications (911).
2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinic schedule
Low-cost ($10) rabies vaccination clinics for 2012 have been scheduled and are now available on the Animal Services website. The next clinic will be held Thursday, Feb. 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Animal Services Center. Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings on rabies vaccinations while ensuring that pets have a current vaccination.
Did you know?
• It is a law in North Carolina that dogs, cats and ferrets older than 4 months must have a current and valid rabies vaccination at all times.
• Orange County’s ordinance also requires that all pets wear a rabies vaccination tag.
• Pets with current rabies vaccinations that may have been exposed to rabies must be revaccinated within five days, or 120 hours, or they will be treated as unvaccinated pets.
• Unvaccinated pets that may have been exposed to rabies must either be destroyed or quarantined at a veterinary office for six months at the owner’s expense.
• Rabies can be transmitted through secondary exposure as well, so do not touch your animal without gloves if it has had any possible exposure to a rabies vector.
• If a rabies suspect is alive, do not attempt to capture the animal. Keep visual contact with the animal until Animal Control arrives.
• If you discover a bat inside your house, be sure not to release it, but do remove yourself and any animals from the area.
• Always call Animal Control immediately if you find a bat in your residence, even if there is no evidence of a bite.
See what ended up on The News of Orange County's cutting room floor.
Showing posts with label rabies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rabies. Show all posts
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Raccoon is first positive rabies test for 2012
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, Orange County Animal Services received the first positive rabies result from the North Carolina Rabies Laboratory for 2012. The case involved a raccoon submitted because of possible exposure it may have had with two household dogs in the vicinity of Bethel-Hickory Grove Church Road and Dairyland Road in Chapel Hill.
The case originated on the morning of Monday, Jan. 30, when a Chapel Hill resident discovered a dead raccoon in her driveway. The resident called Animal Control since she had let her dogs out unsupervised earlier and was unsure as to whether they killed it but assumed that they had. Animal Control removed the raccoon from the property to have it tested for rabies.
Fortunately in this case, the dogs were both currently vaccinated against rabies and will receive a booster shot pursuant to North Carolina statute. According to the law, if there is a reasonable suspicion of exposure, a dog or cat with a current vaccination must receive a booster shot within 120 hours, or five days. By contrast, an unvaccinated animal must either be destroyed or quarantined for a period of six months.
Because of the positive result, a communicable disease nurse from Orange County’s Health Department will contact the dog owner to evaluate her risk of rabies exposure. The concern in these cases is usually the possibility of secondary exposure from the owner’s handling of his or her own dogs after the attack.
As is always the case, a decision about the post-exposure prophylaxis that protects people from rabies is based upon an assessment of all the factors involved in a situation of this kind.
As with any positive rabies test result, this case underscores the importance of effective rabies control to ensure the health of people and their animal companions. Animal Services Director Bob Marotto stresses the importance of prevention and knowledge in our communities and the county as a whole.
“Knowing to call Animal Services immediately and booster your animal within the 120-hour period required by NC General Statute is always of extreme importance,” Marotto said. “As important as having a current vaccination, knowing to booster can make a tremendous difference for a dog or cat, and for its human household.”
This is the first positive rabies result for Orange County in 2012. There were eleven positive cases in the county in 2011.
Raccoons are a host—or reservoir—species to rabies in our area and the region. Any other animal that becomes rabid in this area is likely the victim of the spillover effect. When an animal other than the dominant reservoir species, which is the raccoon in North Carolina, contracts the virus, it is called spillover. The other species that are most susceptible to getting rabies from raccoons are dogs and cats, groundhogs, skunks and foxes.
The other host species of rabies in our own region and others is bats. Of the few cases of rabies in humans in our country in recent years, most have been traced to bats. If there is any possibility of exposure from a bat, it is critical that citizens immediately contact their animal control program. If an incident involving a bat—or other rabies vector such as a raccoon or skunk—should occur outside regular hours of service, an Animal Control Officer should be reached right away through Emergency Communications (911).
2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinic schedule
Low-cost ($10) rabies vaccination clinics for 2012 have been scheduled and are now available on the Animal Services website. The next clinic will be held Thursday, Feb. 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Animal Services Center. Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings on rabies vaccinations while ensuring that pets have a current vaccination.
Did you know?
• It is a law in North Carolina that dogs, cats and ferrets over the age of 4 months must have a current and valid rabies vaccination at all times.
• Orange County’s ordinance also requires that all pets wear a rabies vaccination tag.
• Pets with current rabies vaccinations that may have been exposed to rabies must be revaccinated within five days, or 120 hours, or they will be treated as unvaccinated pets
• Unvaccinated pets that may have been exposed to rabies must either be destroyed or quarantined at a veterinary office for six months at the owner’s expense.
• Rabies can be transmitted through secondary exposure as well, so do not touch your animal without gloves if it has had any possible exposure to a rabies vector.
• If a rabies suspect is alive, do not attempt to capture the animal. Keep visual contact with the animal until Animal Control arrives.
• If you discover a bat inside your house, be sure not to release it, but do remove yourself and any animals from the area.
• Always call Animal Control immediately if you find a bat in your residence, even if there is no evidence of a bite.
The case originated on the morning of Monday, Jan. 30, when a Chapel Hill resident discovered a dead raccoon in her driveway. The resident called Animal Control since she had let her dogs out unsupervised earlier and was unsure as to whether they killed it but assumed that they had. Animal Control removed the raccoon from the property to have it tested for rabies.
Fortunately in this case, the dogs were both currently vaccinated against rabies and will receive a booster shot pursuant to North Carolina statute. According to the law, if there is a reasonable suspicion of exposure, a dog or cat with a current vaccination must receive a booster shot within 120 hours, or five days. By contrast, an unvaccinated animal must either be destroyed or quarantined for a period of six months.
Because of the positive result, a communicable disease nurse from Orange County’s Health Department will contact the dog owner to evaluate her risk of rabies exposure. The concern in these cases is usually the possibility of secondary exposure from the owner’s handling of his or her own dogs after the attack.
As is always the case, a decision about the post-exposure prophylaxis that protects people from rabies is based upon an assessment of all the factors involved in a situation of this kind.
As with any positive rabies test result, this case underscores the importance of effective rabies control to ensure the health of people and their animal companions. Animal Services Director Bob Marotto stresses the importance of prevention and knowledge in our communities and the county as a whole.
“Knowing to call Animal Services immediately and booster your animal within the 120-hour period required by NC General Statute is always of extreme importance,” Marotto said. “As important as having a current vaccination, knowing to booster can make a tremendous difference for a dog or cat, and for its human household.”
This is the first positive rabies result for Orange County in 2012. There were eleven positive cases in the county in 2011.
Raccoons are a host—or reservoir—species to rabies in our area and the region. Any other animal that becomes rabid in this area is likely the victim of the spillover effect. When an animal other than the dominant reservoir species, which is the raccoon in North Carolina, contracts the virus, it is called spillover. The other species that are most susceptible to getting rabies from raccoons are dogs and cats, groundhogs, skunks and foxes.
The other host species of rabies in our own region and others is bats. Of the few cases of rabies in humans in our country in recent years, most have been traced to bats. If there is any possibility of exposure from a bat, it is critical that citizens immediately contact their animal control program. If an incident involving a bat—or other rabies vector such as a raccoon or skunk—should occur outside regular hours of service, an Animal Control Officer should be reached right away through Emergency Communications (911).
2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinic schedule
Low-cost ($10) rabies vaccination clinics for 2012 have been scheduled and are now available on the Animal Services website. The next clinic will be held Thursday, Feb. 16, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Animal Services Center. Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings on rabies vaccinations while ensuring that pets have a current vaccination.
Did you know?
• It is a law in North Carolina that dogs, cats and ferrets over the age of 4 months must have a current and valid rabies vaccination at all times.
• Orange County’s ordinance also requires that all pets wear a rabies vaccination tag.
• Pets with current rabies vaccinations that may have been exposed to rabies must be revaccinated within five days, or 120 hours, or they will be treated as unvaccinated pets
• Unvaccinated pets that may have been exposed to rabies must either be destroyed or quarantined at a veterinary office for six months at the owner’s expense.
• Rabies can be transmitted through secondary exposure as well, so do not touch your animal without gloves if it has had any possible exposure to a rabies vector.
• If a rabies suspect is alive, do not attempt to capture the animal. Keep visual contact with the animal until Animal Control arrives.
• If you discover a bat inside your house, be sure not to release it, but do remove yourself and any animals from the area.
• Always call Animal Control immediately if you find a bat in your residence, even if there is no evidence of a bite.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinics begin
Orange County’s Animal Services Department will hold its first $10 low-cost rabies vaccination clinic of the year on Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Animal Services Center in Chapel Hill.
Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings and allow cats and dogs to remain up to date on their vaccinations. This year, Animal Services will offer 1-year vaccinations at each of the clinics scheduled.
The vaccination fee is $10. Dogs must be on leashes, and cats must be in individual carriers. Animals that may be nervous or unsettled should be kept inside a vehicle for their vaccination. The Animal Services Center is located at 1601 Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill.
The next clinics are:
• Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Animal Services Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, March 22, at the Public Market House on Margaret Lane in Hillsborough from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, April 19, at the Animal Services Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, May 10, at the Public Market House in Hillsborough from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 16, at the Animal Services Center from 10 a.m. to noon
See the website for a full list of the 2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinics.
Did you know?
• It is a law in North Carolina that dogs, cats and ferrets over the age of 4 months must have a current and valid rabies vaccination at all times.
• Orange County’s ordinance also requires that all pets wear a rabies vaccination tag.
• Pets with current rabies vaccinations that may have been exposed to rabies must be revaccinated within five days (120 hours) or they will be treated as unvaccinated pets.
• Unvaccinated pets that may have been exposed to rabies must either be destroyed or quarantined at a veterinary office for six months at the owner’s expense.
• Orange County had 11 positive rabies cases during 2011 and 2010.
• Rabies can be transmitted through secondary exposure as well, so do not touch your animal without gloves if it has had any possible exposure to a rabies vector.
• If a rabies suspect is alive, do not attempt to capture the animal. Keep visual contact with the animal until Animal Control arrives.
• If you discover a bat inside your house, be sure not to release it, but do remove yourself and any animals from the area.
• Always call Animal Control immediately if you find a bat in your residence even if there is no evidence of a bite.
Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings and allow cats and dogs to remain up to date on their vaccinations. This year, Animal Services will offer 1-year vaccinations at each of the clinics scheduled.
The vaccination fee is $10. Dogs must be on leashes, and cats must be in individual carriers. Animals that may be nervous or unsettled should be kept inside a vehicle for their vaccination. The Animal Services Center is located at 1601 Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill.
The next clinics are:
• Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Animal Services Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, March 22, at the Public Market House on Margaret Lane in Hillsborough from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, April 19, at the Animal Services Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, May 10, at the Public Market House in Hillsborough from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 16, at the Animal Services Center from 10 a.m. to noon
See the website for a full list of the 2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinics.
Did you know?
• It is a law in North Carolina that dogs, cats and ferrets over the age of 4 months must have a current and valid rabies vaccination at all times.
• Orange County’s ordinance also requires that all pets wear a rabies vaccination tag.
• Pets with current rabies vaccinations that may have been exposed to rabies must be revaccinated within five days (120 hours) or they will be treated as unvaccinated pets.
• Unvaccinated pets that may have been exposed to rabies must either be destroyed or quarantined at a veterinary office for six months at the owner’s expense.
• Orange County had 11 positive rabies cases during 2011 and 2010.
• Rabies can be transmitted through secondary exposure as well, so do not touch your animal without gloves if it has had any possible exposure to a rabies vector.
• If a rabies suspect is alive, do not attempt to capture the animal. Keep visual contact with the animal until Animal Control arrives.
• If you discover a bat inside your house, be sure not to release it, but do remove yourself and any animals from the area.
• Always call Animal Control immediately if you find a bat in your residence even if there is no evidence of a bite.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Orange County 10th and 11th rabies cases for 2011
On Tuesday, Dec. 20, Orange County Animal Services received two positive rabies results from the North Carolina Rabies Laboratory. One was for a skunk that was submitted because it was found dead in the pen of a dog at a residence on N.C. 57 several miles north of Hillsborough. The other was submitted because two household dogs had a deceased raccoon in their mouths at a Hurdle Mills residence in the vicinity of Hawkins Road and N.C. 86.
As a result of the positive test results, communicable disease nurses from Orange County’s Health Department have contacted the dogs at both households to evaluate their risk of rabies exposure. The concern in these cases is the possibility of secondary exposure since residents were not bitten by and did not handle the rabid animals.
In the case of the skunk, the dog’s owner patted the dog’s head after discovering the skunk. In the case of the rabid raccoon, the resident handled both dogs in order to get them penned after discovering that they both carried the rabid animal in their mouths. As is always the case, a decision about the post-exposure prophylaxis that protects people from rabies is based upon an assessment of all the factors involved in a situation of this kind.
These two cases underscore the critical importance of a current rabies vaccination. As both dogs were currently vaccinated in the case of the raccoon, they only need to receive a booster shot within 120 hours (five days).
In the skunk case, by contrast, the dog was not currently vaccinated and consequently the owner surrendered the dog for euthanasia. Under North Carolina’s General Statutes, an unvaccinated dog must be destroyed to protect the health of the public unless it can be quarantined for a period of six months. In most instances of this kind, the six month quarantine is cost-prohibitive since it is ordinarily conducted at an approved veterinary establishment.
As with any confirmed rabies case, this one underscores the importance of effective rabies control to ensure the health of people and their animal companions. Animal Services Director Bob Marotto stresses the importance of pet owner responsibility.
"Being sure that your dog or cat is currently vaccinated can be the difference between their life and death when there is a rabies exposure,” he said. “As important as having a current vaccination, knowing to call Animal Services immediately and booster your animal within the 120-hour period required by NC General Statute is also of extreme importance."
These are the 10th and 11th positive rabies results for Orange County in 2011. There were a total of 11 positive cases for Orange County in 2010. The number of rabies cases last year (11) and the year before (12) are far fewer than in preceding years. However, rabies is known to cycle through a host or reservoir species over periods of time. In the case of Orange County, data from the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health suggests that this cycling occurs over time periods of several years.
The host species of rabies in our region is raccoon, which is the dominant reservoir species. When any other animal contracts the virus, it is referred to as the spillover effect. The species that are most susceptible to getting rabies from raccoons are skunks, foxes, groundhogs, and dogs and cats.
The other host species of rabies in our own and other areas is the bat. Bats can infect a human without leaving a mark, so anyone finding a bat inside their home or other enclosure where they may have slept should be aware that unknown exposure is possible. If there is any possibility of exposure from a bat, it is critical that Orange County residents immediately contact Animal Services. If an incident should occur outside regular hours of service, an Animal Control Officer should be reached right away through emergency communications (911).
Low-cost rabies vaccination clinic
The 2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinics have been scheduled and are listed on the Animal Services website. The first clinic will be Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Animal Services Center, 1601 Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill. Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings on rabies vaccinations while ensuring that pets have a current vaccination. The schedule for low-cost clinics is available on the Animal Services website.
Rabies rescources
Animal Services now has a video collection of rabies resources from the Global Alliance for Rabies Control available on their website. The videos are broken into short installments and cover the following topics:
• What is rabies?
• What animals are most likely to be rabid?
• Rabies symptoms
• Rabies diagnosis
• Preventing rabies
• World Rabies Day
• Rabies medical research
As a result of the positive test results, communicable disease nurses from Orange County’s Health Department have contacted the dogs at both households to evaluate their risk of rabies exposure. The concern in these cases is the possibility of secondary exposure since residents were not bitten by and did not handle the rabid animals.
In the case of the skunk, the dog’s owner patted the dog’s head after discovering the skunk. In the case of the rabid raccoon, the resident handled both dogs in order to get them penned after discovering that they both carried the rabid animal in their mouths. As is always the case, a decision about the post-exposure prophylaxis that protects people from rabies is based upon an assessment of all the factors involved in a situation of this kind.
These two cases underscore the critical importance of a current rabies vaccination. As both dogs were currently vaccinated in the case of the raccoon, they only need to receive a booster shot within 120 hours (five days).
In the skunk case, by contrast, the dog was not currently vaccinated and consequently the owner surrendered the dog for euthanasia. Under North Carolina’s General Statutes, an unvaccinated dog must be destroyed to protect the health of the public unless it can be quarantined for a period of six months. In most instances of this kind, the six month quarantine is cost-prohibitive since it is ordinarily conducted at an approved veterinary establishment.
As with any confirmed rabies case, this one underscores the importance of effective rabies control to ensure the health of people and their animal companions. Animal Services Director Bob Marotto stresses the importance of pet owner responsibility.
"Being sure that your dog or cat is currently vaccinated can be the difference between their life and death when there is a rabies exposure,” he said. “As important as having a current vaccination, knowing to call Animal Services immediately and booster your animal within the 120-hour period required by NC General Statute is also of extreme importance."
These are the 10th and 11th positive rabies results for Orange County in 2011. There were a total of 11 positive cases for Orange County in 2010. The number of rabies cases last year (11) and the year before (12) are far fewer than in preceding years. However, rabies is known to cycle through a host or reservoir species over periods of time. In the case of Orange County, data from the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health suggests that this cycling occurs over time periods of several years.
The host species of rabies in our region is raccoon, which is the dominant reservoir species. When any other animal contracts the virus, it is referred to as the spillover effect. The species that are most susceptible to getting rabies from raccoons are skunks, foxes, groundhogs, and dogs and cats.
The other host species of rabies in our own and other areas is the bat. Bats can infect a human without leaving a mark, so anyone finding a bat inside their home or other enclosure where they may have slept should be aware that unknown exposure is possible. If there is any possibility of exposure from a bat, it is critical that Orange County residents immediately contact Animal Services. If an incident should occur outside regular hours of service, an Animal Control Officer should be reached right away through emergency communications (911).
Low-cost rabies vaccination clinic
The 2012 low-cost rabies vaccination clinics have been scheduled and are listed on the Animal Services website. The first clinic will be Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Animal Services Center, 1601 Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill. Authorized by North Carolina State law, such clinics provide pet owners with substantial savings on rabies vaccinations while ensuring that pets have a current vaccination. The schedule for low-cost clinics is available on the Animal Services website.
Rabies rescources
Animal Services now has a video collection of rabies resources from the Global Alliance for Rabies Control available on their website. The videos are broken into short installments and cover the following topics:
• What is rabies?
• What animals are most likely to be rabid?
• Rabies symptoms
• Rabies diagnosis
• Preventing rabies
• World Rabies Day
• Rabies medical research
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Low-cost rabies vaccination clinic tomorrow in Chapel Hill
Orange County Animal Services Center will hold a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic tomorrow (Thursday, March 17) from 4 to 7 p.m. at the shelter, 1601 Eubanks Road in Chapel Hill. North Carolina law requires all dogs, cats and ferrets more than 4 months old to be vaccinated against the disease.
The vaccination costs $10 and is open to the public. Dogs should be kept on leashes and cats in their carriers.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous systems of mammals. Though all mammals can contract and carry rabies, the most common wildlife reservoirs in North Carolina are raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes. The disease is typically spread through saliva into an open wound.
Animals not current on their rabies vaccination that encounter a rabies vector must either be euthanized or quarantined for six months at the owner's expense.
See today's (Wednesday, March 16) edition of the News of Orange for more details.
The vaccination costs $10 and is open to the public. Dogs should be kept on leashes and cats in their carriers.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous systems of mammals. Though all mammals can contract and carry rabies, the most common wildlife reservoirs in North Carolina are raccoons, bats, skunks and foxes. The disease is typically spread through saliva into an open wound.
Animals not current on their rabies vaccination that encounter a rabies vector must either be euthanized or quarantined for six months at the owner's expense.
See today's (Wednesday, March 16) edition of the News of Orange for more details.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Give your pet his shots!
Orange County Animal Services Center will hold its second low-cost rabies vaccination clinic of the year on March 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the shelter.
The vaccination fee is $10. Dogs must be on leashes, and cats must be in individual carriers. Animals that may be nervous or unsettled should be kept inside a vehicle for their vaccination.
North Carolina law requires that all dogs, cats and ferrets over the age of 4 months must be vaccinated against rabies.
See the March 16 edition of the News of Orange for more details.
Picture! Andi Morgan of OCASC holds one of the center's newest boarders, a labrador retriever mix puppy. Since there were no vaccinations happening that day, I decided to give some of their cute animals some publicity instead!
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