Waller County Sheriff Glen Smith has confirmed that a rabies test on a dog in that county has confirmed the animal was infected with rabies.
It was the first confirmed case of rabies in a dog in Waller County in more than 20 years.
Authorities believe the disease was transmitted when the dog came into contact with a rabid skunk. When the dog became sick, its owners took it to a veterinarian and tests confirmed the existence of rabies.
The announcement came on the heels of two confirmed cases of rabies in skunks in Fort Bend County. One of the rabid skunks was found near Beasley and the other was found in Needville, according to Fort Bend County Animal Control.
Fort Bend County Animal Control Director Vernon Abschneider said the more frequent the occurance of rabies in wild animals, the greater the risk for human infection. He also stressed that all dogs and cats older than three months should be immunized on an annual basis.
“It is also important to keep your animals restrained and not allow them to roam freely as this will further protect them from confrontation with wildlife,” Abschneider said in a statement.
Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the central nervous system or brain and spinal cord of an animal or human, according to the statement. The disease is typically contracted through a bite by an infected mammal and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
“Humans and animals can be exposed to rabies from the saliva or brain and spinal cord tissue of a rabid animal that bites or scratches them,” the statement said. “Exposure can also occur if infected saliva or tissue gets into a fresh wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.”
Wild animals, such as raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes and coyotes are frequent carriers of the disease.
Anyone bitten by a wild animal should wash the wound with a lot of soap and water and contact a doctor immediately.
