Residents of St. Lucie County are reminded to use caution when outside where they might make contact with wild or stray animals. The warning comes after a resident’s pet made contact with a rabid bat.
The Florida Department of Health did not release information about the pet or the location of the incident.
Arlease Hall, a spokeswoman for the agency, explained that such information is not typically released as part of an advisory. But, she and the agency encourage residents throughout the county to remain vigilant.
“Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease. It is important not to handle wild animals, to be aware of unusual acting animals, and to keep pets vaccinated against rabies,” Clint Sperber, health officer for the Florida Department of Health in St. Lucie County, said in a prepared statement released by the agency.
The following is information released by the St. Lucie County office of the Florida Department of Health:
In Florida, raccoons, bats, foxes and unvaccinated cats are the animals most frequently diagnosed with rabies. Other animals that are at high risk for rabies include skunks, otters, coyotes, bobcats, stray or unvaccinated dogs, and ferrets.
Typically, each year, St Lucie County receives reports of suspected rabid animals.
Rabies is a disease of the nervous system and is fatal to warm-blooded animals and humans. Rabies is transmitted through exposure to the saliva and nervous tissue from a rabid animal through a bite, scratch or contact with mucous membranes such as the eyes, nose or mouth.
An animal with rabies could infect domestic animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies. All domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies and all wildlife contact should be avoided, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, otters, bobcats and coyotes.
The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization.
Appropriate treatment started soon after the exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease.
Along with local animal services, DOH-St. Lucie works to prevent rabies by assisting with animal bite investigations and testing of animals for rabies through the Florida Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories. DOH-St. Lucie also provides rabies vaccinations to victims of animal bites, the only known effective treatment for rabies prevention in humans.
Precautions urged:
- Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets and at-risk livestock.
- Do not allow your pets to run free. Follow leash laws by keeping pets and livestock secured on your property. If your pet or livestock are bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary assistance for the animal immediately and contact your local animal control agency.
- Support animal control in efforts to reduce feral and stray animal populations. Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
- Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with outdoor food sources such as uncovered trash or litter.
- Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.
- Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly.
- Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with people and pets.
What to do if bitten or scratched:
- Persons bitten or scratched by a wild animal or stray should seek medical attention immediately and report the incident to your local animal services and to DOH-St. Lucie at 772-462-3883.
Report a potentially rabid animal:
- St. Lucie County Animal Control: 772-462-8120
- Port St Lucie Animal Control: 772-871-5042
- Fort Pierce Animal Control: 772-467-3149.
More information:
- On the web: www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-andconditions/rabies/index.html
- Call DOH-St. Lucie: 772-462-3883.