Rabies warning in Burnet County
iStock image
Three recent rabies cases have popped up in Burnet County and law enforcement is asking residents to be cautious. The mammal-borne disease is deadly if untreated in people and pets, but it is also 100 percent preventable if proper precautions are taken.
An infected bat was found on County Road 343 near Smithwick, a skunk on Texas 29 west of Burnet, and a fox about a mile north of Highland Lakes Elementary School in Granite Shoals on Oxbow Trail, according to a recent social media post by the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office.
The BCSO is warning residents to avoid any animal that seems sick or lethargic and to contact animal control at 512-756-8080 if they believe an animal could be rabid.
Law enforcement will be on the lookout for domestic animals not up to date on their rabies vaccinations. Texas law says all dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies by 4 months of age or the owner could face a Class C misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500.
The rabies virus can infect any mammal, including humans. It is mainly transmitted through bites and scratches from infected animals. The disease is 99 percent fatal if it reaches its later stages and goes untreated, but a vaccination can make any person or mammal totally resistant to the virus if it is administered before the virus takes hold.
Symptoms of rabies in animals include: weakness, paralysis, seizures, difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation, abnormal behavior, aggression, and/or self-mutilation. Fear of water has also been exhibited in some cases.
Because of strict vaccination laws concerning pets, transmission rarely comes from cats and dogs, but many wild animals carry the disease. Seven out of 10 people killed by rabies in the United States were infected by bats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One animal that seems to be resistant to the virus is the opossum, which rarely carries rabies, although it is not completely immune.