Five rabies cases reported in Iredell

Five cases of rabies have been confirmed in Iredell County in the first three months of the year.

Iredell County Animal Services manager Chris Royal said two people are being treated for possible rabies exposure after being bitten by dogs. The dogs could not be located and tested; therefore the people are taking a series of shots, Royal said.

Four of the five positive results were in skunks, she said. The fifth is a cow that tested positive, but there is no way to determine what bit the cow, she said.

In the four cases involving skunks, one cow and several dogs were exposed to the skunks.

The positive results are in western Iredell County, in the Stony Point area, Olin and Harmony, Royal said. The two people involved are from the Mooresville area and Statesville.

In 2008, Iredell County recorded a total of 10 positive cases, the North Carolina State Laboratory reported. The cases were evenly divided between skunks and raccoons.

Mike Miller of the Iredell County Extension Service said it's unusual but not unheard of for cows to test positive for rabies.

"I've heard of five or six instances over the last few years," he said.

Cows can be vaccinated just like cats or dogs, Miller said, but it's an expensive endeavor for large scale farmers.

"For somebody with 100 head of cattle, it can get real expensive real quick," he said.

Miller said cows affected by rabies often display some of the same behaviors as domestic pets or wild animals.

"They can get aggressive with you and try to hurt you," he said.

Miller said many horse owners vaccinate for rabies because horses are a more expensive investment and, like cats and dogs, are thought of as pets.

Royal said she's worried that so many cases are turning up this early in the year.

Chris Kreh, a wildlife biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Commission, said it is a little unusual to see this number of cases in the winter months.

But, he said, it's not uncommon to see a spike in the number of cases, particularly given the warmer weather this area experienced in February and March.

"When the weather's warm, more people are outside and they're more likely to encounter these animals," he said.

Raccoons, skunks and other known carriers of rabies tend to become more active when the weather begins to warm up, so it's imperative that pet owners taken precautions, Kreh said.

A rabies shot, he said, "is the number one step in prevention."

Royal agreed with Kreh.

"We encourage people to get their animals vaccinated," she said.

In North Carolina, all dogs and cats ages 12 weeks old or older are required to be vaccinated against rabies, and to be vaccinated one year after the first vaccination. After that, the pet can be vaccinated every three years.

Pet owners can be faced with a difficult decision if their pet is potentially exposed to rabies and they cannot offer proof of a vaccination.

A dog exposed to rabies and without proof of a vaccination will face a six-month quarantine at the owner's expense.

"It can run into thousands of dollars," Royal said.

The other choice is to euthanize the animal.

There are several options to getting a rabies shot.

Animal Services will vaccinate pets every day the shelter is open. The cost is $10.

The shelter also hosts a monthly clinic — on the second Tuesday of each month — and shots are given for $6. That clinic runs from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Kreh said the best advice for people to minimize the risk of exposure to rabies from wild animals is simply to leave them alone.

He said that's particularly true for any animal acting strangely, such as not appearing to be afraid of people.

Kreh said skunks, raccoons, and other wild animals may appear to be listless, or staggering or walking around in circles.

Kreh said if bitten by any of the known carriers of rabies, people should take immediate action.

"It's not a real common occurrence, but it's serious. You don't want to mess around," he said.