State Health Department Issues Rabies Warning

The discovery of a rabid pet cat in southern Arizona is prompting public health officials to remind pet owners to immunize their dogs and cats and to ensure these vaccinations are kept up to date. Three veterinary staff members and the cat's owner are undergoing vaccination for rabies after being bitten or scratched by "Kooba," from the Rio Rico area of Santa Cruz County. The Arizona State Health Laboratory in Tucson confirmed the rabies infection in the cat, which was euthanized. With 112 rabid animals reported this year in Arizona, public health officials warn there is an increased potential for pet exposures. So far in 2005, 59 skunks, 44 bats, five foxes, two bobcats, and one raccoon also have tested positive for rabies. Eleven people and 72 pets have been exposed to these lab confirmed rabid animals since the beginning of the year. With the high number of lab confirmed rabid animals this year, Arizona likely will surpass the record set in 2002, when 143 animals tested positive for rabies in Arizona. "It is imperative for pet owners to immunize their animals against rabies and to ensure that these vaccinations are kept up to date," said State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Elisabeth Lawaczeck. Pet exposures to rabid wild animals, especially bats and skunks, are common. When rabies develops in a dog or cat, humans are more likely to be exposed to rabies. In 2002, a rabid dog being displayed at an adoption fair in Pima County resulted in over 100 people being exposed to the animal. The last reported rabid cat in Arizona was in 1990, when two rabid cats were reported in Pima County and one in Pinal County. In the latest case, "Kooba" was not currently vaccinated and was known to roam the local neighborhood with other pet and stray cats. While sick, the cat attacked the family dog. Since the dog was currently vaccinated for rabies, it was given a rabies booster and quarantined at home. If the dog had not been current on rabies vaccination, it would have been either euthanized or quarantined by animal control officials for 6 months. County animal control officials have taken steps to alert residents and to ensure there were no other human or pet exposures. Rabies is a viral disease that is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. Individuals exposed to a rabid animal, usually through a bite or scratch, must promptly receive anti-rabies serum and vaccine to prevent rabies infection. In Arizona, rabies most commonly occurs in bats, skunks and foxes, but any mammal can contract the disease. Rabid animals may show unusual behavior or appear unstable. Rabid carnivores, such as skunks, foxes, bobcats, coyotes, dogs and cats, may become aggressive and may attempt to bite people, pets and livestock. However, there may not be any obvious signs during the early stages of the disease. Wild animals exhibiting unusual behavior should be reported to local animal control officials. Examples of unusual behavior include: wild animals that show no fear of people and pets; nocturnal animals that are active in daylight; and bats found on the ground, in swimming pools or that have been caught by a pet. Public health and animal control officials recommend the following precautions: * Keep people and pets away from wild and stray animals. Do not pick up, touch, or feed wild or unfamiliar animals, especially sick or wounded ones. If someone has been bitten or scratched, or has had contact with the animal, report it immediately to animal control or health officials. * Vaccinate all dogs and cats against rabies, and keep their vaccinations up to date. Pets should be kept in a fenced yard. Protecting your pets also helps to protect you! * Do not "rescue" seemingly abandoned young wild animals. Usually, the mother will return. If the mother is dead or has not returned in many hours, call the Arizona Game and Fish Department. * Take precautions when camping, hunting or fishing. Avoid sleeping on the open ground without the protection of a closed tent or camper. Keep pets on a leash and do not allow them to wander. * Do not disturb roosting bats. If you find a bat on the ground, don't touch it. Report the bat and its location to your local animal control officer or health department. Place a box over the bat to contain it. Be careful not to damage the bat in any way since it must be intact for rabies testing. For more information about rabies, call your local health department or the ADHS Vector-Borne & Zoonotic Disease Section at (602) 364-4562, or visit the ADHS rabies webpage at: www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/vector/rabies/.