A skunk tested positive for rabies in Crawford on Feb. 3, and game warden Phillip Nelson said it has everything to do with the species’ mating season.
“Skunks mate normally in February, so they’re more active,” Nelson said. “They’re out more in the daylight. People are noticing them more this time of year.”
The skunk that tested positive was found on Hargrove Lake Road, according to a press release from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
The GDPH advised residents to ensure their pets were up to date on rabies vaccinations. Additionally, Nelson said to not leave any “food sources” outside of your home that may attract animals.
If a rabid animal is on your property, Nelson advises residents to “euthanize” the animal, secure the animal in a trash bag without touching it and bury it as deep as possible.
“As deep as you can stand to dig a hole to bury it. That way, other animals don’t dig it up,” Nelson said.
Nelson said if a resident wants to test an animal for rabies, the cost will be out-of-pocket.
“Some people think the state pays for (the testing), but they don’t,” Nelson said.
Rabies is a viral disease found in mammals that causes brain inflammation, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The Code of Oglethorpe County highlights the clinical signs of rabies virus infection to include, but not limited to, lethargy, fever, vomiting, dullness, anorexia, hyper-salivation, excitability, ataxia, weakness, paralysis, aggression or other abnormal behavior.
Foxes, insectivorous bats, skunks and raccoons are the most common hosts of rabies in the U.S., and in Georgia, raccoons and bats are the most common, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Nelson said Oglethorpe County sees rabies cases every year, and it is most commonly found in skunks.
Rabies is transmitted when the infected saliva of a host is passed to an uninfected animal, primarily through a bite or scratch. The disease is transferable between mammals.
If you have been bitten by an animal or think that you possibly may have been exposed to a rabid animal, GDOA advises to consult a physician immediately.