Cherokee County Environmental Health officials announced today that yet another raccoon in the county has tested positive for rabies. This makes a total of seven confirmed cases of rabies for the county this year, including four other raccoons, a dog and a fox.
In this most recent case, Cherokee County Environmental Health Specialist Glendon Gordy reported that on August 10, two dogs attacked and killed a raccoon at a Sardis Circle residence in Canton. The head of the raccoon was sent to the Georgia State Laboratory for rabies testing, and the positive result was received by county health officials on August 12.
Both dogs involved in the attack were current on their rabies vaccinations; therefore, the only treatment required is a rabies booster shot and a 45-day quarantine.
There was no human exposure in this case.
Health officials continue to urge residents to protect against rabies by maintaining rabies vaccinations in their pets, and they also warn residents to be wary of any unfamiliar animals, especially those displaying sickly or unusual behavior.
For more information about rabies and its prevention, please call the Cherokee County Environmental Health Office at (770) 479-0444. General information about rabies can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at www.cdc.gov.