THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 26, 1996 TAG: 9607260441
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 60 lines
Twice recently, dogs have fought with rabid raccoons in separate areas of the city, renewing warnings by health officials of the dangers of wild or stray animals.
No humans have had contact with the infected animals, but two of the seven dogs involved in the attacks had to be euthanized, said Calvin W. Jones, the city's environmental health manager.
The other dogs will be quarantined for observation to make sure they do not become ill.
The first incident involved two dogs in the Kings Fork Road area on July 13. The second, an attack on five dogs, happened in the Wilroy Road area last Sunday.
Rabies, which has been present in Western Tidewater since 1989, continues to be a threat throughout the state, Jones said. In June, 55 cases had been reported in Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore this year.
The first known case of rabies in Portsmouth was reported July 7, in Churchland, when a rabid raccoon attacked a family cat. And rabies has been a recurring problem in other area cities, particularly Virginia Beach, where at least eight cases have been reported this year.
In both of the recent Suffolk attacks, the raccoons were out during the daytime, which is unusual, Jones said. Two other cases of raccoon rabies occurred in the city earlier this year - one in January in Sadler Heights and one in May in Burnett's Mill, he said.
And so far this year, eight people have received post-exposure treatment, a series of at least five shots to prevent contracting the disease, Jones said.
Most had been scratched or bitten by an animal that ran off, making it impossible to determine whether the animal had rabies.
In the Suffolk health department region, which also includes Franklin and Isle of Wight and Southampton counties, 25 people received the treatments last year.
``Rabies is still in the area,'' Jones said, `` and it is a life-threatening thing if you acquire it. We can't let our guard down.''
Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. When a rabid animal bites another animal or a human, the virus travels through nerve cells and can destroy the central nervous system.
Pets should be vaccinated against rabies, and people should avoid contact with cats and dogs they don't know, as well as with wild animals, such as raccoons or bats.
If bitten or scratched by a stray or wild animal, you should identify the animal and report the incident immediately to the animal control office or health department. Failure to locate a stray that has bitten someone usually means the person must take the post exposure treatment, which is expensive and causes extreme soreness the first day, Jones said. ILLUSTRATION: TO GET HELP
Animal control departments:
Chesapeake: 487-2212
Norfolk: 664-7387
Portsmouth: 393-8876
Suffolk: 925-6416
Virginia Beach: 427-4158
KEYWORDS: RABIES by CNB