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SUFFOLK, Va. — A skunk found in a dog kennel in Suffolk has tested positive for rabies, according to a June 4 release from the Suffolk Health Department.

The animal was discovered in a kennel with three dogs in the 5000 block of Old Myrtle Road. All three dogs were up to date on their rabies vaccinations. As a precaution, the dogs received booster shots and were placed under a 45-day confinement.

Rabies can be transmitted when the saliva of an infected animal enters the body through an open wound or mucous membrane, often through a bite. Once symptoms appear in humans, the disease is almost always fatal. Rabies is also fatal in unvaccinated domestic animals.

The Health Department is urging residents to take the following steps to protect themselves and their pets:

• Contact Suffolk Animal Control at (757) 514-7855 or the Suffolk Health Department at (757) 514-4751 if your pet has had contact with a potentially rabid animal.
• Seek immediate medical attention for any animal bite.
• Avoid contact with wild or stray animals, particularly raccoons, bats, foxes, skunks, cats and dogs.
• Ensure that all pet dogs, cats and ferrets are current on their rabies vaccinations.
• Keep pets confined to your property.
• Secure garbage containers with tight-fitting lids.

Virginia law mandates rabies vaccinations for all dogs and cats over the age of four months.

For additional information, visit the Virginia Department of Health at vdh.virginia.gov or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/rabies.