2 more rabies cases confirmed in Kerr County, Texas

Rabies7 8

The seventh and eighth cases of rabies this year have been confirmed in the county, prompting Kerr County Animal Services to issue a message of caution to the public.

“If you have not gotten your family pets vaccinated against rabies – a terrible, viral and deadly disease that attacks the central nervous system -- then I would say there is no time like the present,” said KCAS Director Reagan Givens. “We’ve now had eight cases this year in four different types of mammals, both inside city limits and out in a rural area. Rabies is in Kerr County right now. You never know when you or your family pets will encounter a rabid animal, so please take the necessary precautions.”

The seventh case of rabies was confirmed positive in a raccoon in the northeastern part of the county off Whiskey Canyon Ranch Road, while the eighth case was discovered in a fox on West Main Street in Kerrville.

“In both of these cases, the deceased animals were found near homes and, in each instance, the dead, wild animal may have been in close contact with the families’ pets,” Givens said.

KCAS received the call about the dead raccoon on Thursday, April 11. An animal control officer responded to the scene and collected the sample before sending it out the same day to the zoological lab for testing.

A call about the deceased fox found in a back yard also came into the KCAS on Thursday, April 11. An animal control officer was dispatched to the scene, where the sample was collected, packaged and sent to the lab for testing the same day.

The following day, Friday, April 12, the lab reported to KCAS that both samples were positive for rabies.

The disease can be transmitted through exposure to a dead animal, since the virus can remain alive for some time after the animal dies.   

Since family pets in both cases might have been exposed to a rabid animal, their owners were notified of the protocol required. According to Texas law, if a cat or dog is bitten or has come into 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.

“These steps may seem strict, but they really are there to make sure we prevent the spread of rabies from animal to animal and wild or domestic animal to humans,” Givens said.

Having eight cases to date makes this the second-highest case year in recent times. In 2023, there were four total confirmed cases of rabies in Kerr County. Cases in previous years included 2 in 2022, 9 in 2021 and 4 in 2020.

“While the number tends to fluctuate from year to year, it is imperative that everyone stays vigilant and avoids feeding or touching any wild animal. If you notice an animal acting strange or sick, please make a note of its appearance, its exact location, which direction it may be heading and report it to us at 830-257-3100,” Givens said.