Rabies cases reported in Rockmart area

Fifth incident in Polk County quarantines family dog

Northwest Georgia Public Health officials announced last week the latest case of rabies reported in Polk County since early July.

According to a press release from the Department of Public Health, officials were waiting out a quarantine period for a family pet beagle after it came into contact with a rabid raccoon in the Rockmart area.

Though the raccoon’s remains were sent off for testing, and there’s no definitive proof that rabies was transmitted in the case, public information officer Logan Boss said the dog was being kept in a sixmonth quarantine as a precaution after potential exposure in the North Piedmont Avenue area.

Polk County Health Department’s Environmental Health Manager Kathy CoueyMiller said that the dog wasn’t current on its vaccine, but wanted to be sure since the shot records weren’t up to date and thus caused the concern even though the raccoon wasn’t believed to have come in contact with the family pet.

“Rabies is regularly found in Polk County and always circulating in our wild animal population,” Couey-Miller said. “Getting your pet vaccinated against rabies is the single best way to protect your pet from rabies. It’s important to do it for their protection, for our protection and because it’s state law.”

Polk County had one animal rabies case in 2015, three in 2014, none in 2013, three in 2012, five in 2011 and eight in 2010, the release reported.

This marks the fifth reported case since July 7. Couey said that a first raccoon was spotted and killed on Brewster

Hill Road and later tested and confirmed for the disease, plus a pair of raccoons found on North College Street this summer in Cedartown.

In Rockmart, a fourth raccoon encounter ended with the sick animal being shot and killed, and rabies later confirmed. Couey said the raccoon had at the time been trying to get to a pair of dogs kept in a fence on Williams Road in the Rockmart area, but no actual contact was made between the dogs and the raccoon.

Couey said she specifically remembered the case because of the erratic way the raccoon was acting, and green flies found in its eyes.

On July 30 following reports of the three cases to open the summer, Polk County Animal Control held a rabies clinic for vaccination and education purposes.

The health department is working to organize a second rabies clinic in the Rockmart area, but details are pending and will be released when planning is finished.

Health officials recommended the following courses of action for those who come into contact with animals who have rabies, or fear issues with their pets:

· Vaccinate all dogs, cats and ferrets against rabies. Check with your veterinarian to make sure your pets have up-to-date protection against rabies. Remember that the vaccination of pets against rabies protects not only the pets, but more importantly, protects people.

· Low-cost rabies vaccinations are available through Tractor Supply stores in Cartersville, Dallas, and Rome about every two weeks. Call for specific information.

· Don’t leave pet food out where wild animals can access it. Leaving pet food out is a sure way of getting wild animals to visit your home endangering you, your family and your pets.

· Remind children to avoid animals they don’t recognize, especially stray or wild animals. These animals may be infected with rabies.

· Small children should not be left unattended with dogs, even if the dog is a pet or the child is familiar with it.

· Keep pets at home. Obey any county laws requiring that dogs be restrained to the owner’s property. Pets that are kept close to home are less likely to encounter a rabid animal.

· Report any raccoon, fox, bat or skunk that is out during the day in a residential area or that is behaving strangely to the local Georgia Department of Natural Resources Game and Fish Division office at 1800-241-4113.

· Report stray dogs and cats and aggressive or sick-appearing animals to the local animal-control office.

· Don’t attempt to assist injured or sick animals without professional help. Even animals which would never bite otherwise can bite when sick or in pain.

· Bats found in sleeping quarters should be captured and tested for rabies even when there is no evidence of a bite wound or contact with the sleeping individuals.

· After-hours calls involving aggressive animals should be directed to 911.

· After-hours calls involving animal bites and their potential for rabies exposure should be directed to 866PUB-HLTH (866-782-4584).

Polk County residents can contact the Polk County Health Department’s Environmental Health Office at 770749-2253 for more information.

Residents can visit the Northwest Georgia Public Health website at http://www.nwgapublichealth.org/env/rabies.htm for county-specific animal rabies data for the ten-county Northwest Health District, which includes Polk County, as well as information on rabies precautions.

Residents can also visit http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/ for comprehensive rabies information.

Editor’s Note: In the online edition of this story, there was an error that was corrected to change the quarantine time period from six weeks to six months.