Public Service Announcement

May 11, 2022                                                                                                                                                 

Increase in Animal Bites Seen Across Southwest Georgia

Albany, GA— The Southwest Georgia Public Health District has seen a recent increase in the number of residents and pets being bitten by wild or stray animals. Before handling an animal, think twice, and avoid getting bit. Animal bites are painful and may expose a person to the rabies virus and other infections.

Rabies is a viral disease of mammals, usually occurring among wild animals such as raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. When an infected animal bites another animal or person, the rabies virus is transmitted in the infected animal’s saliva. The rabies virus travels from the site of the bite up through the nerves until it reaches the brain, causing encephalopathy and ultimately death.

To avoid potential rabies exposure, The Southwest Health District recommends the following:

• Do not approach, handle, or feed wild or stray animals.
• Vaccinate your family pets against rabies annually.
• Teach children not to approach or play with wild or stray domestic animals of any kind.
• Do not leave pets or children outside unattended or allow them to roam free.

If you are bitten by an animal:

• Thoroughly clean the wound immediately with soap and water to reduce the likelihood of rabies transmission.
• Call your doctor or local health department as soon as possible for advice. You or your doctor can consult with the Georgia Poison Center (404-616-9000 in Atlanta, or 800-282-5846 statewide) to decide whether postexposure human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and vaccine are recommended for this bite. Your doctor can also tell you if you need a tetanus booster or antibiotics. Provide your doctor with the following information:
  • Type of animal involved (pet or wild animal)
  • Sick or well animal, type of symptoms
  • Provoked or unprovoked attack
  • Type of exposure (cut, scratch, licking of an open wound), part of the body, number of exposures
  • Animal’s vaccination status (does not apply to wild animals)
  • Animal available/not available for testing or quarantine

Under certain circumstances, a domestic animal may be placed under quarantine and observed for 10 days following the bite to see if it develops symptoms of rabies. Cats, dogs, and ferrets will become ill and expire within days of shedding the rabies virus in their saliva (the time of the bite).

If it is deemed necessary to euthanize the animal, it is imperative that the head/brain remains intact for testing.