By Caitlyn Meisner | cmeisner@alextimes.com

Since Oct. 23, there have been three separate incidents in three areas of Alexandria where rabies-infected raccoons have come into contact with dogs, exposing the pets to the virus.

The first incident occurred in the Taylor Run area of the city on Oct. 23 when a rabid raccoon came into contact with a dog in its own backyard. The second incident occurred on Oct. 27 along a Dora Kelley Nature Park trail with another dog and rabid raccoon. The third and most recent incident occurred on Nov. 15 in the yard of a home near Chambliss Park where four dogs came into contact with a rabid raccoon.

Each of the raccoons were euthanized and tested upon capture, which is typical procedure, according to Tony Rankin, chief operating officer at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. “The typical procedure is … [to] capture the animal that may be rabid,” Rankin said. “We want to have that animal tested and unfortunately, the only way to do that is to euthanize that animal. In the matter of public health, it’s a better choice.”

Rankin said the only way to test animals for rabies is to test their brain; once the virus reaches the animal’s brain, this is when they would typically show symptoms, like aggression or foaming at the mouth.

“You wouldn’t be able to test if your dog was bitten today. The only way to test for it is to euthanize the animal and get a brain sample and have that brain sample tested, and there’s no way for the animal to live through that,” he said.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, rabies is a deadly disease that only affects mammals. It’s caused by a virus that attacks the nervous system and is most commonly found in wild mammals like raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes.

The VDH also states on its website that the most common way rabies is transmitted is through the bite of an infected animal. The virus attacks the central nervous system and makes its way to the animal’s brain. According to the World Health Organization, once symptoms appear in infected animals, rabies is fatal in 100% of the cases.

All of the dogs involved in these incidents are required to receive a booster dose of the rabies vaccine within 24 hours and must remain quarantined for 45 days to ensure they don’t exhibit symptoms, Rankin and Eve Elliott, the communications officer for the Alexandria Health Department, said. VCA Animal Hospitals, a North American veterinary hospital chain, said on their website that the incubation period of the virus is typically two weeks to four months.

Within the 45-day period, pet owners can observe their pet for any drastic changes in behavior. Rankin said rabies-infected dogs commonly stop eating and drinking, vocalize excessively, act confused and experience a sudden onset of aggression.

According to VDH, the Commonwealth has had two reported human cases of rabies since 2009, and there are, on average, two human cases of rabies each year reported in the United States. While there is a preventative vaccine that’s safe for humans, it’s usually only recommended for people at a higher risk of exposure, such as people who work with potentially infected animals or who are traveling to countries with a high rate of rabies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rankin said in most cases when residents suspect a wild animal has rabies, they call the Alexandria Police Department, and then the AWLA’s Animal Services officers – a part of the organization contracted by the city to act as animal control – are dispatched to the location. He said calls of a wild animal acting strangely is considered high-priority.

 “We’re going to consider that [call] to be like an emergency response type of situation. We still consider it a high-priority call even if we haven’t had any rabies reports up to that point because … it’s one of the more risky situations,” Rankin said. “We want to try to get to those calls fairly quickly; that’s something that we would respond to 24/7, 365 days a year.”

Rankin also noted that AWLA takes strong precautions when bringing in stray mammals to the shelter in case they have rabies. He said the shelter tries to vaccinate each animal against rabies within a few days of them arriving at the shelter, depending on the availability of the staff veterinarian.

“Every animal, dog or cat that comes into the shelter, they’re going to get an initial intake exam, and one of the things that we look for are any wounds or any visible injuries,” he said. “If we see something that looks like bite wounds, then we’re going to proceed with caution and probably hold on to that animal for longer than we would normally. The average stray [hold] is five to 10 days, whereas this would be 45 days, just to make sure.”

Rankin and Elliott said AHD is required to test each animal that is suspected of having rabies and alert the community of each incident. In this case, the raccoons had to be tested. According to Rankin, in the two most recent incidents, the raccoons were already dead when Animal Services arrived.

“We still issue a rabies alert even if a raccoon is dead … because we know if one raccoon in the area may have rabies, then it’s possible that other wildlife in the area may have rabies too,” Elliott said.

In light of these recent encounters, Rankin and Elliott both heavily emphasized the importance of keeping pets up to date on vaccinations, including rabies. According to Virginia code §3.2-6521, all dogs and cats at least four months old should be vaccinated against rabies. Most boosters come after one year of age then become less regular.

“The vaccine is nearly 100% effective if administered properly and kept up on,” Rankin said. “If you had an animal that has never had [the] rabies vaccination, the recommendation is for that animal to be euthanized or undergo a very extensive, strict quarantine… and that can be for 90 days or longer.”

Rankin said the origin of the current rabies outbreak has not been found, as it’s like “finding a needle in a haystack.” “Most of these cases have been north and west so far … but it’s mostly been off Seminary [Road and] Braddock [Road],” he said. “So it seems like it’s kind of isolated in that area, but it’s really hard to say. Animals can travel anywhere that they want to.” 

Rankin and Elliott offered some tips for pet owners to keep their furry friends safe during this time:

• Ensure your pet has a current rabies vaccination;
• Supervise your dog when letting them outside;
• Check for any wildlife before letting your dog outside;
• Keep dogs on a leash outside at all times;
• Be aware of your environment if walking your dog;
• Don’t interact with wild animals;
• Stay updated with AHD for further alerts and information;
• Contact 703-746-4444 for Animal Services;
• Call AHD at 703-746-4910 for rabies information; and
• Visit the city’s rabies webpage for more information.