"Ill-appearing fox" found in Grapevine tests positive for rabies
GRAPEVINE (CBSNewsTexas.com) - Grapevine Animal Services confirmed "an ill-appearing fox" in their custody tested positive for rabies.
It was found last week in northwest Grapevine near Westgate Plaza and Churchill Loop. There were no reported human or animal exposures to the rabid animal, according to the shelter. Tests later revealed the fox had contracted the viral disease.
During the same week last year, health officials warned about another sick fox, which may have died from rabies. It was found at S. Carrier Pkwy and E. Sandra Lane in Grand Prairie.
Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each year happen in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes, although any mammal can get rabies.
Wild animals, especially high risk vectors such as foxes, are a reservoir of the rabies virus. People can protect their families by ensuring a veterinarian vaccinates their pets. They should avoid letting their pets interact with wildlife as well.
If you see an ill or injured wild animal, call Animal Services at 817.410.3370 ext. 2. Signs of a rabid animal in pets or wildlife can include a change in behavior, such as a wild animal appearing "friendly" or a pet animal turning aggressive out of nowhere. Additionally, difficulty walking, eating, or drinking may be apparent.
A vaccine clinic is set for Saturday, October 28 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Grapevine Animal Services, located at 500 Shady Brook Drive in Grapevine.
