Senior Digital Editor/Producer, WCVB.com
MARION, Mass. —
A raccoon found in Marion, Massachusetts, tested positive for rabies, prompting the town to issue a rabies advisory.
A raccoon that was “acting strange” near Point Road and the water tower tested positive for rabies, according to the Marion Board of Health.
What should Marion residents know about the rabies advisory?
City officials are asking the public to remain vigilant and watch for wild animals showing signs of rabies and to refrain from interacting with wild animals.
Anyone encountering an animal that may be infected with rabies should not approach it, keep a safe distance and call animal control at 508-748-1212 or 911.
What animals are most likely to carry rabies in Massachusetts?
In Massachusetts, the animals most likely to be infected with rabies are raccoons, bats, skunks, foxes, and woodchucks, also known as woodchucks. Cats are the pets most commonly affected by rabies due to lower vaccination rates than dogs.
What are the signs of rabies in animals?
Signs of rabies in animals may include abnormal or aggressive behavior; lethargy, weakness or paralysis; self-harm; seizures; excessive salivation; and difficulty breathing or swallowing. Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease caused by a virus carried in the saliva of infected animals. It can spread to humans and other animals through a bite or when saliva is introduced into an open wound or into the eyes, nose or mouth.
How effective is treatment after exposure to rabies?
Rabies primarily affects the central nervous system and can lead to serious brain disease and death if medical attention is not received before symptoms appear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says prompt treatment after exposure to rabies is nearly 100% effective in preventing the disease.
Gn Health
