Dr. Sharon Mix, medical director at VCA Animal Medical Center of Omaha, Nebraska, was in for an disagreeable shock when she examined a stray kitten. The feral kitten, present in Douglas County, examined constructive for a variant of rabies carried by raccoons that hadn’t been detected within the state earlier than.
“He was young and his body temperature was low,” she stated. The kitten was in a position to eat on his personal on the primary day however not on the second. He died on the third day.
“Usually kittens will improve with supportive care, but he did not,” Dr. Mix stated. “It is common to test for rabies in an animal that passes away, he was exhibiting neurologic signs, and is too young to have received the vaccine.”
Once the take a look at got here again constructive, the rabies diagnostic laboratory contacted the state well being division and knowledgeable the 4 veterinary employees members and 6 different folks they could have been uncovered so they may full therapy for doable rabies an infection.
The outcomes had been additionally examined on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and confirmed.
Dr. Mix stated her colleagues and different veterinarians “are trained professionals and I am confident that they would have submitted this kitten for testing just as I did.”
However, “I did not think that rabies was probable,” Dr. Mix stated. “Young kittens can die from many other more common illnesses.”
Douglas County Health Department officers have since deployed a workforce of state and federal officers to entice, take a look at, and vaccinate about 1,000 raccoons and different wildlife within the space. In addition to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), representatives from the CDC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are concerned within the investigation. The Nebraska Humane Society helps with the gathering of lifeless animals that can be used for testing.
Local concern is heightened as a result of raccoons are widespread in Nebraska, and so they typically work together with home animals and pets. Traps had been arrange in personal yards in addition to public and park areas. If raccoons confirmed no indicators of issues, they had been vaccinated and launched.
The CDC and USDA groups spent a number of weeks within the subject, and surveillance can be ongoing for a while past that.
“At this time the collection and testing of animals found dead or showing potential signs of rabies continues. Due to the seasonal change and reduced wildlife activity, this may be a slow process that runs into February,” stated Phillip Rooney, useful resource specialist and spokesperson for the Douglas County Health Department
As of early January, Douglas County Health Department and USDA’s Fish and Wildlife Services have produced no alarming findings, and no new rabies circumstances have been discovered. An oral rabies vaccine plan was executed in a 62-square-mile space of Douglas County, with round 18,000 vaccine packets distributed by floor baiting groups within the goal space.
The county asks that folks name the Nebraska Humane Society at 402-444-7800 (ext. 1) in the event that they see a home or wild animal performing unusually and so they additionally ask that folks be certain that their pet vaccines are present.
While Dr. Mix isn’t certain she’s seen a rise in shoppers searching for the vaccine, folks have heard the stories and point out it when they’re in for his or her pet’s vaccines. Her recommendation for pet house owners is to comply with their veterinarian’s recommendation relating to vaccinating pets.
