Michigan health officials issued a warning of rabies spread among skunks that were bought from a metro Detroit breeder in the past six months after a test returned a positive result for the disease.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said that a skunk purchased from Countryside Feather Farm/Rose's Skunks in Attica or through a Chesterfield Township/New Baltimore seller connected to Rose's Skunks was found to have had rabies during a test on Nov. 29.
Rabies-Infected Skunks
Macomb County Animal Control conducted a preliminary investigation into the situation. It determined that it is possible that rehabilitated wild skunks co-mingled with bred and captive skunks at the New Baltimore location.
Furthermore, Macomb County has had three skunks test positive for the disease over the summer, as another two were discovered in Macomb Township and one in Clinton Township. Residents within the state can buy skunks bred in captivity through a permit issued by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, as per the Detroit Free Press.
DNR Law Enforcement Chief Jason Haines noted that in the state, it is illegal to "take, purchase, or possess wild animals without proper permitting" from authorities. He added that when skunks are concerned, taking the animals from the wild for rehabilitation or importing them from another state or country is illegal.
A chief medical executive, Natasha Bagdasarian said that rabies can go undetected in skunks for several months. She noted that those potentially exposed were encouraged to take proper precautions and seek out medical treatments.
Bagdasarian noted that if residents purchased one of the skunks from the facilities that authorities mentioned, they were recommended to go to their veterinarians to have the animals checked.
Scientists know rabies as a fatal but vaccine-preventable viral disease that is considered to be rare among humans in the United States. There are only a handful of cases reported every year based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to Mlive.
Potential Spread of the Disease
Animals that are infected with rabies can pass the disease onto humans through a scratch, bite, or saliva. After symptoms are observed, health officials said rabies is nearly always fatal. There is post-exposure treatment available for people who are exposed to a potentially rabid animal to prevent rabies infection.
Initial symptoms include fever, lethargy, vomiting, and lack of appetite. In just a few days, symptoms that are more specific to brain dysfunction appear and include weakness, difficulty walking, paralysis, seizures, difficulty swallowing/excessive salivation, abnormal behavior, and aggression.
The MDHHS issued guidelines for residents of Michigan to protect themselves and their pets from the disease. One of the simplest ways is to avoid contact with wildlife and keep wild animals as pets or avoid the rehabilitation of wildlife.
If people see that a wild animal appears to be sick, they should contact the Department of Natural Resources to report the incident. If bitten or scratched by an animal, people should seek immediate medical attention and alert the local health department, said UpNorthLive.
