Most of us love cute little puppies and kittens. And often we find ones that seem homeless that we want to help. The problem is that when we find one we don’t know where it has been or what this little bundle of it has been exposed to in the past. We never think that this little bundle of fur can potentially be life threatening. Check out this posting in a local paper regarding a people we would consider as wonderful for help[ing a little kitten. The problem is, this small act of kindness could have been life threatening. The kitten above was found in Ontario and when taken to animal control was identified, tested, and confirmed as rabid. It looks cute, and the hidden danger was identified, but not before this bundle of fur bit two children and a parent who had to undergo post exposure rabies treatments.
The article below was in in the Pickens County Progress this year.
Rescued†kitten exposed Cherokee County family and vet assistant to rabies
Canton (GA) June 24, 2010 ~ Cherokee County Environmental Health officials reported that a stray kitten picked up by a family residing on Lake Circle near the Cherokee/Cobb County line recently tested positive for rabies. Members of the family and a worker at a Cobb County veterinarian clinic were exposed to the kitten prior to rabies testing.
Officials said the kitten had been “rescued†by the Cherokee County family on June 2, 2010, and it seemed sickly, so they took it to a nearby animal clinic in Cobb County on June 3. While being treated at the clinic that day, the kitten scratched a veterinarian technical assistant.
“Due to the kitten’s illness, it was euthanized, and I was called about shipping the head to the [Georgia state] lab,†stated Glen Gordy of Cherokee County Environmental Health. “However, the bite occurred to a person in Cobb County; therefore, I advised the veterinarian’s office to call Cobb County Animal Control.
“I was then notified on June 8 by Cherokee County Animal Control that the test on the kitten came back positive for rabies, and it was at that time I learned that the family from Cherokee County had been exposed to the kitten. All people exposed are seeking rabies treatment at a Cobb County hospital and residents in the Lake Circle area were notified to contact us if they believe they were exposed.â€
To avoid rabies exposure, residents are urged to stay away from unfamiliar animals and to make certain all pets and livestock are current on their rabies vaccinations.
The recommendation for a possible rabid animal bite is to thoroughly wash the wound with soap and water, and then seek immediate medical attention with the following information on hand:
· The geographic location of the incident
· The type of animal that was involved
· How the exposure occurred (provoked or unprovoked)
· The vaccination status of any pets involved
· Whether the biting animal can be safely captured and tested for rabies
For more information about rabies and its prevention, call Cherokee County Environmental Health at (770) 479-0444 or log onto www.cdc.gov.
(http://pickensprogress.com/articleinfo.asp?Link=2207)
There are other stories like this as well. Check out the one below.
Please use caution and think abbout the potential consequences before handling a stray animal whether it is cute or not. If you have a pet be sure to get it vaccinated for your safety, your family’s safety, and the safety of your pet sitter.