Pet-owning residents of several counties in the states of West Virginia, Ohio, & North Carolina are urged to have their pets vaccinated for rabies if not already immunized.  Keeping the level of antibodies in your pets at a high level through booster vaccinations is strongly urged.

With wildlife rabies reported in raccoons in Greenbriar County, West Virginia; Columbiana County in Ohio, and Davidson County in North Carolina — health department officials in the three mentioned states offer the following advice: do not handle wild animals that appear to acting strangely, keep your dogs leashed at all times when out of doors, do not leave unconsumed pet food out of doors, report any contact with wildlife, particularly raccoons to your local health departments, and remember, rabies is spread through the saliva of affected animals.

With five variant strains of rabies virus in North America, raccoon rabies is the most common form identified.

When in doubt of your pet’s rabies vaccination status, have the pet receive a rabies booster from your local veterinarian.