Best intentions, oversight can lead to human rabies exposure

By KARI KRAMER | East Texas Edition

Nov. 25, 2004 - Recently in Lamar County, a rabid dog was euthanatized and eight people underwent treatment for rabies exposure.

According to Dr. James Wright of the Texas Department of State Health Services, zoonosis control division, the dog's owner believed his dog had made contact with a skunk in mid-October.

"A week or two later, the owner noticed the dog had something wrong with its eye, so he decided to take the dog into his house to care for it," said Wright. When the dog began wobbling and shaking his head, the owner took the animal to a veterinarian where the dog was treated for an ear infection. The next day the situation worsened.

"The owner took the dog back to the veterinarian because the dog would not stop howling and had started slobbering," said Wright.

The following day the animals was euthanatized and was submitted for rabies testing. The positive rabies results prompted the treatment of eight people who had made contact with the animal.

Rabies can be spread a variety of ways, but some are more common than others.

"By far the most common way is in the saliva," said Wright, who added that the skin must be broken. The rabies virus will not penetrate unbroken skin. Contact with saliva through bites and scratches poses the greatest threat, but theoretically rabies can be contracted if saliva contacts open parts of the body, such as the eyes, according to Wright. A person can contract rabies from a dog, cat, or ferret for up to five days before the animal show symptoms.

"Most physicians would act on the basis that any animal that bites somebody is rabid until proven otherwise," said Wright.

There is no exact formula for rabies symptoms. Wright said animals may act lame, tilt their heads, appear to have something logged in their throat, or exhibit other neurological problems.

If a person is believed to have made contact with a rabid animal, such as the eight people in Lamar County, a treatment series will be administered.

"They are given two different types of medicine. First, a dose of Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG) extract of blood from someone who is already immune to rabies is given by injection. That's the part that fights the virus. That doesn't last long so we want the body to build its own protection. A rabies vaccine (similar, but not the same one given to animals) is given," said Wright.

On the first day the HRIG and rabies vaccine are administered. On days 3, 7, 14, and 28 and additional rabies vaccination is given.

"They get one dose of HRIG medication and five total rabies vaccinations," said Wright, who added that rabies is treated seriously because it can be fatal.

Wright advises that all animals who are believed to have made contact with a rabid animal should be evaluated by a veterinarian. Even animals that have received a rabies vaccination can still be at risk.

"No vaccination is 100 percent, but I'll add that the rabies vaccination is good stuff," said Wright.

Wright also stressed that most vaccinations are licensed to offer protection from rabies for three years, but others work for only a year. In addition, regardless of the vaccination endurance, some towns, cities, and jurisdictions may have codes that require animals to be vaccinated yearly.

Healthy skunks usually will not harass or attempt to make contact with dogs, said Wright. He added that rabid skunks will fight with dogs and get in dog pens.

"If your dog kills a skunk, you have to determine (the skunk) is rabid," said Wright.

Wright said owners who shoot pet-harassing skunks should make sure to keep the head of the skunk intact.

"Shoot the animal and get with a local veterinarian to have the animal sent to the laboratory. Just don't shoot the head," said Wright, because the neurological system is a vital part in determining rabies cases.

Wright stressed the importance of knowing vaccination codes in your area and vaccinating animals yearly.

"When you vaccinate you're protecting your pet's life, but even more importantly, you're protecting your family," concluded Wright.