| El Paso County Department of Health & Environment 301 South Union Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80910-3123
Contact:
Susan Wheelan, M.B.A.
Public Health Information Officer
(719) 575-8687
For Immediate Release Rabid Skunks Found in El Paso County
Health Officials Warn Public to Vaccinate Pets, Avoid Wildlife Colorado Springs, CO – Skunks infected with rabies have been found in El Paso County for the first time in nearly four decades, according to the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment. This finding serves as a reminder to the public that pets and livestock must be properly vaccinated. “Rabies in skunks has been identified in Colorado and now in El Paso County,” said Kandi Buckland, M.P.A., public health director at the Health Department. “Now, more than ever, we urge pet and livestock owners to ensure that their animals are vaccinated against rabies and for parents to remind their children to avoid feeding, petting or touching wildlife.” Three rabid skunks have been reported in northern El Paso County so far this summer. The last time that a rabid skunk was found in El Paso County was 1970. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has been monitoring the spread of skunk rabies in Colorado and predicted last year that El Paso County would likely be affected soon. Since Jan. 1, 2009, 22 skunks infected with rabies have been reported in Colorado; in 2008, 18 were reported. Rabies is a viral disease in mammals—including people. Rabies infects the brain and other parts of the central nervous system, causing brain swelling and damage, and ultimately, death. Rabies is spread primarily through the bite of rabid animals, resulting in the spread of the disease through their infected saliva. Rabies also can be spread when saliva from an infected animal gets into open wounds, cuts or enters through membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth. No cure exists for rabies once symptoms appear. Preventive medication is available for people known or suspected to have been bitten by a rabid animal. It is critically important for people bitten or scratched by a wild animal or an unfamiliar animal to contact their health care provider. Rabies always is present in bats in Colorado. The finding of rabies in skunks increases the possibility that rabies will spread to other wild animals, including unvaccinated pets and livestock—the animals that have the most frequent contact with humans. In addition to ensuring that pets and livestock are vaccinated properly against rabies, Buckland recommends these prevention steps: - Don’t feed wild animals or allow your pets around them. Be sure to teach children to stay away from wild mammals.
- Contact your veterinarian if your dog or cat is bitten or scratched by a wild animal, such as skunks, bats, foxes or raccoons.
- If you suspect you’ve been exposed to rabies, contact your physician without delay.
· Discuss rabies vaccination of your livestock with your veterinarian. Vaccination should be considered for horses and other equines, breeding livestock, dairy cattle or other high-value livestock. · If you observe a wild mammal acting strangely, especially a skunk, or if you find a dead skunk, stay away from it. Strange behavior for a skunk would include being out and about during daytime hours. - If you find a dead skunk on your property, wear rubber gloves or lift the carcass with a shovel or other tool, and double-bag it for the trash.
For more information, visit www.elpasocountyhealth.org.
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