Pet Vaccinations Spike in NW Arkansas Following Rabid Skunk Reports
(Boone
County, AR) — The number of confirmed rabies cases in Boone County, Arkansas
so far this year has sparked concern for people with pets.
Three
skunks and one bull have been confirmed with rabies in Boone County so far this
year. Just last Friday, that third rabid skunk was found.
Statewide, the Arkansas Department of Health has
recorded 10 rabid skunks and one bull in the same period.
KOLR/KOZL
spoke with Dr. Joe Melton, a veterinarian, who says seeing a skunk outside
during the day is a red flag to watch for, since it’s unusual behavior.
“We
should be concerned, but it’s not the reason for panic or anything like
that,” he says.
Health
leaders don’t know where the rabies comes from, but Dr. Melton says that skunks
are prone to getting rabies. The most important thing pet owners can do is make
sure your pets are vaccinated.
“People
tend to forget or they tend to put it off and it doesn’t get done, so every now
and then we get one of these that freshens our memories,” he says.
“So instead of having a lot of alarm, let’s just get the dogs and cats
vaccinated and do it on a yearly basis and we’ll be fine.”
If
you think your pet may have had an encounter with a rabid animal, make sure you
get them checked out immediately. Also, if you yourself have an encounter with
a rabid animal, make sure you go to your physician right away.
“He’s
not acting normal, he’s out in the daytime, he’s confused,” he says.
“If there is a human or animal contact, it needs to be killed. Don’t shoot
it in the head. The brain is what we use for examination.”
Dr.
Melton says on Saturday, he saw at least 20 people in to get their pets
vaccinated. There were about that many on Monday.
“I’m
concerned about it and I see several skunks around,” says pet owner Paul
Purdy. He’s one of the many worried about his three pets. “I have one
outside all the time and one outside during the day. The other two have
vaccinations up to date, and they’re in pens. I keep ‘em pinned.”
He’s
also careful about leaving out excess dog food in hopes that skunks will stay
away.
“I
smell ‘em around, but I haven’t seen ‘em.”
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.
As far as livestock, cattle isn’t usually routinely
vaccinated for rabies, but there are some vaccines approved for those animals.
Tags: pets
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