Rabies Alert: Rabid Raccoon Found in Durham

Post from Durham CT Animal Control:

The Durham Animal Control Officer reported a positive case of rabies involving a raccoon in Durham. Please review the following reminder about rabies.

Facts About Rabies

Rabies is a fatal viral disease that can affect all warmblooded animals including man. Rabies is primarily transmitted by the bite of infected animals. Rabies may also be transmitted by scratches or when saliva or central nervous system tissue (i.e., brain, spinal cord) from a rabid animal gets into an open wound or mucous membrane (eyes, nose, or mouth). Rabies is not transmitted by contact with urine, feces, blood, or scent glands.

Symptoms of rabies in animals vary, but they often include changes in behavior such as unprovoked aggression, unusual friendliness, paralysis or uncoordination, excessive drooling, disorientation, and aimless daytime wandering. Note that even healthy nocturnal animals such as raccoons are sometimes active during the day, and this behavior should not in itself be reason to believe an animal is sick.

Rabies in CT

Since 1991, Connecticut has experienced an outbreak of rabies in wild animals. Raccoons are the primary carrier and most commonly affected animal. However, rabies cases in other wild and domestic animals such as skunks, woodchucks, foxes, bats, cats, dogs, horses, sheep, and cows have been reported. Squirrels, rabbits, and mice are seldom affected by rabies. Birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and insects do not get this disease.

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Rabies Prevention Measures

Homeowners can minimize their risk of exposure (and also the risk to their pets and livestock) by taking the following precautions:

Vaccinate pets and livestock against rabies. Unvaccinated pets represent the greatest risk of rabies exposure to humans and are frequently the link between rabid wildlife and people. If your dog or cat is unvaccinated and exposed to a rabid animal, it must be euthanized or removed from the home and quarantined for six months. The importance of pet vaccinations cannot be overemphasized! Do not allow pets to roam freely. Keep them closely supervised, feed them indoors, and confine them at night. If your pet is exposed to a suspected rabid animal, wear gloves when handling it or treating its wounds. Contact a veterinarian for advice. Your local police, animal control officer, or NWCO can help identify, capture, or destroy the suspect animal for testing.

Avoid contact with wild or stray animals. Report animals behaving suspiciously to your local police or animal control officer. Never attempt to feed, pet, or handle wild animals or strays. It is illegal to keep any wild animal as a pet, and doing so will increase your risk of exposure to rabies and other diseases. To discourage wildlife from living in or around your home, cap chimneys, screen crawl spaces, and repair openings into buildings. This also includes securing potential food sources (garbage cans, pet or livestock food, and even birdseed). Contact the Wildlife Division at 860-424-3011, or a NWCO(Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator), for information on wild animal behavior and control techniques.

What to Do If You Are Bitten or Scratched

If you are bitten, scratched, or think you have been exposed to rabies, wash the exposed area thoroughly with soap and warm water and contact your doctor or emergency clinic immediately. If possible, without further risk of exposure, capture or destroy the wild animal without damaging its head, and immediately report the incident to the local police or animal control officer.

If you are unable to contact local authorities, call the DEEP at 860-424-3333 for guidance. NWCOs may also be able to assist with human exposure cases by capturing suspect animals and assisting with transport for rabies testing.

Note that treatment for rabies exposure is highly effective if administered promptly and consists of a series of six relatively painless injections.

(Stock photo of raccoon, by Tambako the Jaguar via flickr creative commons)