Third positive rabies case prompts caution to public

Rabiesconfirmed Skunk

Three skunks have now tested positive for rabies in Kerr County, according to Kerr County Animal Services Director Reagan Givens.

The newest case was reported on Glenn Road in Kerrville. The other two rabid skunks were also discovered in Kerrville -- one on Tivy Street and another on Ridgemont Lane.

“Our rabies cases for 2024 are quickly multiplying,” Givens said. “We now have had three confirmed cases – all within city limits – in a span of eight days (since March 8.)” For all of 2023, there were four cases total.

“I urge all residents to stay vigilant for abnormally acting animals, and to make sure their pets’ vaccinations are up to date against this deadly, viral disease. Please do not touch any unknown animal and avoid feeding wild animals, including stray dogs and cats. If you see an animal acting strangely, please make note of its description, its location, where it might be headed and call that information into our office at 830-247-3100,” he said.

Most recently, KCAS received a report on Wednesday, March 13, that a family dog had found and attacked a skunk at a residence on Glenn Road.

An animal control officer responded to the location, retrieved the skunk, humanely euthanized it and sent it to the zoological lab for disease testing that same day.

“Confirmation from the lab came on Friday, March 15, that the skunk was positive for rabies,” Givens said.

The pet owner was notified of the protocol to be followed for their dog, since it had contact with the skunk.

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.

“These steps are strict, but they must be followed to the letter because they are designed to prevent the spread of rabies,” Givens said.

“You do not have to be out in the country for you and your pets to be at risk for exposure to rabies. After all, all three of these cases were inside Kerrville’s city limits,” Givens said.

Rabies is an RNA virus that infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and eventual death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that most reported rabies cases are found in bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes, but any mammal can get rabies.

Anyone who has been in contact with a wild animal, especially if they have been bitten or scratched, should wash any wounds immediately with soap and water and then plan to see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Humans exposed to a rabid animal may face a series of shots administered over 14 days. The first round of shots should be received without delay. Current rabies vaccinations are not given in the stomach, but are given in the arm and are relatively painless, like a flu shot, the CDC said.