Rabid Cat Found In Camden County; Vet Possibly Exposed
The cat had been brought to an animal shelter, where the veterinarian remains the only known human exposure. A rabid cat has been found in Camden County, where it was monitored for signs of rabies and tested at a state lab. The veterinarian may have been exposed. The cat was brought to a Voorhees animal shelter on May 23 and began showing symptoms of the disease. The state Public Health & Environmental Laboratories alerted county officials that the animal was rabid. There have been no known human exposures other than the veterinarian. The vet was advised to consult their physician about rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a regimen that includes vaccination. The CDC has stated that human deaths from rabies are rare in the United States, with fewer than 10 per year since 1960. County Commissioner Virginia Betteridge advised pet owners to keep vaccinations up for all dogs, cats and ferrets updated and keep pets under direct supervision to avoid direct contact with wild animals.
Publié : il y a 10 mois par Josh Bakan dans Health
The shelter veterinarian may have been exposed, according to the Camden County Health Department. The cat was brought May 23 to a Voorhees animal shelter, where it was monitored for signs of rabies, according to the Camden County Health Department. It began showing symptoms of the disease on Wednesday, when the unspecified shelter arranged for rabies testing at a state lab.
On Monday, the state Public Health & Environmental Laboratories alerted county officials that the animal was rabid. There have been no known human exposures other than the veterinarian. The vet and employees were notified, and the shelter has taken proper precautions, officials said.
The vet was advised to speak to their physician about rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) — a regimen that includes vaccination. Human deaths from rabies are rare in the United States, with fewer than 10 per year since 1960, according to the CDC. But rabies is fatal in more than 99 percent of cases, with no treatment once signs or symptoms emerge, so post-exposure treatment is vital for people and animals.
"Although rabies is a serious illness, it can be prevented by early treatment," said County Commissioner Virginia Betteridge, liaison to the health department. "If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal it is important that you seek immediate medical attention." Betteridge advised pet owners to do the following:
• Keep vaccinations up to date for all dogs, cats and ferrets.
• Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately.
• Contact your local animal-control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the disease. People should also take the following steps to avoid direct contact with unfamiliar animals, Betteridge says:
• Enjoy wild animals such as raccoons, skunks and foxes from afar. Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or liter.
• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal-rescue agency for assistance.
• Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals — wild or domestic — even if they seem friendly.
• Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, houses of worship, schools and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people or pets.
• When traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be especially careful around dogs in developing countries. Rabies is common in developing nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, where tens of thousands of people die of rabies each year. For more information about rabies, visit the CDC's webpage. Camden County residents can call the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 856-374-6370.