CVMDL is frequently asked to test wild animals, it’s part of our disease monitoring and surveillance. Many people heard about the rabid fox on Capitol Hill this week, and interestingly enough, we also had a fox test positive, this one in Fairfield County. Our lab has had four positive rabies tests in foxes out of 16 total tested over the past 10 years (see chart below). Remember not to approach any wild animals that are behaving erratically, and instead to contact your local animal control center.
rabies
Wildlife Society Reports on CVMDL Work with Bats and Rabies
“We receive a lot of suspected rabies cases, both domestic and wild, including a lot of skunks and raccoons,” said lab director Guillermo Risatti. “But also lately, we have been receiving more bats, and some of them are carrying the virus.”
Read the full article on the Wildlife Society website.