Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 15, 1990                   TAG: 9005150330
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B2   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Medium

TESTS SHOW RACCOON HAD RABIES

The raccoon's head was sent to a lab in Abingdon so its brain could be tested. Results were returned Friday.

Margaret Robinson, director of the health district, said the dogs and the raccoon fought at the Appalachian Power Co. picnic grounds. The raccoon was killed in the fight and the dogs' owner brought the animal to the health department.

The dogs both had been vaccinated for rabies and received booster shots after the raccoon bit them.

The raccoon was only the fourth wild animal found to be carrying the rabies virus in the past three years in the New River Valley, Robinson said. But people still should be careful, she said.

"The rabies virus is very common in carnivorous wild animals like skunks, raccoons, foxes, bobcats and coyotes," Robinson said. "If someone is bitten by any of these animals, we presume that animal is rabid and tell people to get appropriate treatment."

Treatment includes cleaning the bite and giving a series of rabies vaccines, Robinson said.

Last year, 311 New River Valley residents reported animal bites to the health department. Robinson said she is not sure how many actually received rabies vaccines.

"Rabies is almost invariably fatal once symptoms develop," Robinson said. "When people are bitten they should consult their physicians immediately."

Robinson cautioned people to stay away from stray dogs and cats, as well as wild animals.

Domestic animals, which are required by state law to receive rabies shots when they are 3 to 4 months old, rarely are infected with the rabies virus, Robinson said. There have been no reports of rabid domestic animals in the past three years. "I believe it's been even longer than that," she said.

The rabies virus enters the body through a bite, a break in the skin or a mucus membrane and travels along the nervous system to the brain, Robinson said.

Symptoms in animals include nervousness, muscle tension, dilated pupils and a rise in temperature.

Robinson said infected animals rarely blink and tend to eat foods they normally would not eat. Sometimes they have a staggering gait or convulsions.

There also is a less severe form of rabies, in which animals may become depressed or sleepy and froth at the mouth. There are other forms, in which animals may become excited at first and depressed as the virus progresses.