Lab confirms 10th positive rabies case of year in Kerr County

With news coming this morning (May 2) that a raccoon from here was positive for rabies, Kerr County has now had 10 confirmed cases this year, punctuating it as one of the highest case years in the past decade.

Kerr County Animal Services was first alerted to this newest case on Monday, April 29, said KCAS Director Reagan Givens. “We received a report of a raccoon that appeared to be ill, and it was near the family’s dog in the backyard of a residence south of Comfort,” he said.

An animal control officer was dispatched to the scene on South Fork Road, collected the animal, preserved a sample properly for testing and then the following day, Tuesday, April 30, sent the specimen to the zoological lab.

“We received confirmation from the lab this morning that the raccoon was, in fact, positive for rabies,” Givens said.

Since the animal had been in close proximity with the family pet, there was possible exposure for the dog. There was no suspected human exposure. As such, KCAS advised the owner of the protocol to be followed.

According to Texas law, if a cat or dog is bitten or has made contact with an animal confirmed to be rabid, then that pet should be euthanized, Givens said. “Most pet owners are unwilling to do that, so they then must follow a protocol dictated by whether the pet’s rabies vaccinations were current at the time of exposure,” he added.

If the pet has been previously vaccinated against rabies, then they should be revaccinated immediately and restrained or confined for a period of 45 days. If the exposed pet has not been previously vaccinated against rabies, then it should be vaccinated immediately and placed into solitary confinement for 90 days, with booster shots given in the third and eighth weeks of isolation.

In this instance, the dog was not current on its vaccinations.

“The law may require steps that seem pretty severe or strict, but they are really necessary to prevent the spread of this terrible, deadly disease that attacks the neurological systems of mammals,” Givens said.

“Taking all this into account, you can tell how important it is to make sure your family pet vaccinations against rabies are up-to-date,” he added.

There is no predicting when we may encounter an animal carrying rabies. “Most cases this year have involved the rabid animal venturing into backyards – whether those yards were inside the city limits or out along a country road,” Givens said. “I urge all residents to be on the lookout for an animal that might be acting strangely or overly friendly. Also, please avoid feeding or touching any wild animal, including stray dogs and cats,” he said.

“If you spot an animal acting weird, please make a note of its physical description, its exact location and which direction it may be headed and then call that information into our local rabies authority -- the Kerr County Animal Services office -- at 830-257-3100,” Givens said.

The last time there were 10 cases of rabies recorded in Kerr County was in 2014, but that is not the record high, Givens said. In 2015, there were 25 cases, topped in 2016 by a tally of 34 cases, he said.

“Rabies cases rise and fall in numbers through the years. The important thing to remember is that it is here and it is in all parts of our county. Please, just minimize the risk of exposure for your family and your pets, and be aware of your surroundings,” Givens said.

So far this year, Kerr County has had confirmed positive rabies in: 6 skunks, 2 raccoons, 1 fox and a dog that, by law, had to be declared positive because the sample was too damaged for ac