Rabid skunk found in Lexington. Officials ask residents in the area to keep an eye on pets.
A rabid skunk was found in a Lexington neighborhood Wednesday, according to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.
The skunk was found by a resident in the city’s Stone Creek/Willow Oaks neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods surround Man o’ War Boulevard in southern Lexington.
The health department said the skunk tested positive for rabies Wednesday. The department posted signs in the area to notify residents of the discovery.
It’s the first reported rabies case in Lexington since October, when a rabid skunk bit a dog.
Health department officials don’t think the skunk had any contact with pets in the area. The health department encouraged people to keep an eye on their pets and make certain their pets have a current rabies vaccination.
State law requires that all dogs, cats and ferrets maintain a current rabies vaccination.
Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted primarily through animal bites. Once symptoms appear, which can happen anywhere from a few days to a year after exposure, rabies is virtually 100% fatal. Immediate medical attention is critical after a suspected rabies exposure.
A Northern Kentucky resident died of rabies in late December. State health officials didn’t say how the person contracted the disease but said it may have happened during travel outside the U.S.
Along with bats, raccoons and foxes, skunks are among the most commonly infected animals in the U.S.
