Town of Marion Board of Health Issues Rabies Advisory after Raccoon Tests Positive

MARION — The Town of Marion reports that the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) notified the Marion Board of Health and Animal Control that a raccoon found in the area of Point Road near the water tower has tested positive for rabies.

The raccoon was acting oddly and was sent to the state for testing.

The Marion Board of Health asks the public to watch for wildlife showing signs of rabies (see below) and to refrain from interacting with wild animals.

Please be vigilant if you are out walking in that area. If you or your pet encounter an animal that may be infected with rabies, do not approach the animal. Keep a safe distance and call Animal Control as soon as possible.

Call Marion Animal Control at 508-748-1212 or call 911 to report animals you suspect may be exhibiting signs of rabies infection.

Signs of rabies in animals can include the following:

• Abnormal or aggressive behavior
• Lethargy, weakness, or paralysis
• Self-mutilation
• Seizures
• Excessive salivation
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing

Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease caused by a virus. The virus is carried in the saliva of infected animals and can be spread to people and other animals through a bite, or when saliva is introduced into an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.

Because rabies can be rapidly fatal for both humans and animals, it is crucial to get treatment right away. If you may have been exposed to rabies through contact with an animal — such as a bite or scratch — thoroughly wash the affected area, seek immediate medical attention, and contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at 617-983-6800.

In Massachusetts, animals that are most likely to be found infected with rabies include raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes and woodchucks (groundhogs). Cats are the domestic animal most frequently found to be rabid due to lower vaccination rates as compared to dogs.

Some of the ways that you can help protect yourself, your loved ones and your pets include:

• Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies. By law, all dogs, cats, and ferrets must be regularly vaccinated against rabies. Be sure your pets’ rabies vaccinations are up to date.
• Teach children to never approach animals they don’t know – even if they appear friendly.
• Report any animal that behaves oddly to your local animal control official.
• Enjoy wild animals from a distance. Do not keep wild animals as pets. This is against the law in Massachusetts.
• Don’t leave food or water for pets outside. Even empty bowls can attract wild and stray animals.
• Do not let pets roam freely. Keep them in a fenced yard or on a leash.
• Keep your garbage securely covered. Open garbage will attract wild or stray animals.
• Keep your chimney capped and repair holes in attics, cellars, and porches to help keep wild animals like bats and raccoons out of your home.

Visit www.mass.gov/rabies and www.cdc.gov/rabies for more information about rabies.

Rabies Fast Facts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

• Around 100,000 Americans are vaccinated against rabies following a potential rabies exposure each year.
• Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It can be spread to people and pets through the bites and scratches of an infected animal.
• The disease is rare in people in the United States, with fewer than 10 deaths reported each year. But because it’s found in wildlife throughout the country (except for Hawaii), rabies poses a serious public health threat.
• Rabies primarily affects the central nervous system, leading to severe brain disease and death if medical care is not received before symptoms start.

If you may have been exposed to rabies, you should urgently seek medical attention. Medical care following a rabies exposure is called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP includes wound care, human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), and a series of four or five rabies vaccines, which must be given as soon as possible after an exposure.

According to the CDC, if you have been exposed to rabies, you must receive this care immediately to prevent the disease from developing. According to the CDC, prompt treatment following a rabies exposure is nearly 100% effective at preventing the disease.

If you spot a sick animal in the Town of Marion, immediately call Marion Animal Control at 508-748-1212, or call 911.

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