Warning pet owners: Rabid raccoon attacks dog in Gwinnett County

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The Gwinnett County Health Department and Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement are warning residents to avoid animals showing strange behavior following a rabid raccoon attack on Monday.

According to officials, a rabid raccoon attacked a dog near W. Johns Road in Lilburn.

Testing of the animal by health officials showed that it tested positive for rabies.

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Since mid-January, there have been multiple rabid animal attacks across the Gwinnett County area, including in Auburn, Snellville and Lawrenceville.

As previously reported by Channel 2 Action News, the rabid animals were by raccoons, and in one case, a rabid cat.

Following the April 1 attack, Gwinnett County officials are urging pet owners to make sure their pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations.

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According to the National Association of State Health Veterinarians, unvaccinated dogs and cats that are exposed to a rabid animal have to be quarantined for four months and vaccinated a month before they can be released.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the rabies virus attacks the central nervous and is nearly always fatal in humans if untreated.

Symptoms of rabies in humans include fever, headaches, general weakness or discomfort.

To report an animal suspected of having rabies and have it picked up, residents in Gwinnett County can call the Gwinnett Animal Welfare and Enforcement Bite Office at 770-339-3200 ext. 5576.

Rabies can be transmitted to both people and pets through bites and scratches from wild animals like foxes and raccoons, according to Gwinnett County officials.

According to officials, there have been five rabies cases detected in Gwinnett County from Jan. 1 to April 5.

On March 4, in addition to the cases mentioned above, a dead fox tested positive for rabies in Suwanee.

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