Rabies alert in Marble Falls
The blue A-B route on this map shows the 3000 block of Mormon Mill Road near Marble Falls proper. According to Marble Falls Animal Control, a rabid fox was discovered in one of the neighborhoods along this stretch of road. Google Maps image
Marble Falls Animal Control recently confirmed a case of rabies within the city limits and is warning residents to take necessary precautions to avoid exposure to the deadly, mammal-borne disease.
“We have had a rabies-positive fox confirmed in the city of Marble Falls,” reads a Facebook post made at 6:42 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5, by Animal Control.
The post said the rabid fox was picked up in a neighborhood in the 3000 block of Mormon Mill Road after a call from a resident and then killed by law enforcement on Aug. 30. The positive test came back on Thursday.
Animal Control recommended that residents refrain from setting live traps, contact law enforcement if they see an animal behaving strangely in the presence of humans, and vaccinate their pets against rabies.
Call the Marble Falls Police Department to report a possible rabies case at 830-693-3611.
ABOUT RABIES
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rabies virus is deadly in humans, dogs, cats, and many other mammals if left unchecked but can be prevented through prior vaccination.
The virus is primarily spread through bites and scratches from infected animals. Rabies can incubate in the body for weeks before symptoms show. During this time, it can be treated and any damage can be avoided.
Initial symptoms can appear flu-like, and tingling might be felt from preliminary nerve damage over a period of two to 10 days. Once the virus reaches this stage, no effective treatment remains.
Rabies inevitably damages the brain and spinal cord. Two-thirds of cases result in “furious rabies,” which manifests as hyper-aggression, seizures, and delirium. Other cases might be “paralytic,” which results in weakness and progressive paralysis emanating from the wound where the virus was contracted.
Many cases of rabies result in a coma during the final stages, and all cases end in death.
The CDC considers foxes and skunks “rabies reservoirs” in the southwestern United States, meaning they are highly susceptible to the disease and tend to pass it on to other mammals. Opossums are highly resistant to rabies but not totally immune.
For more information about vaccinating your pet against rabies, contact your veterinarian or the Hill Country Humane Society at 512-793-5463 or info@hchstexas.com.