A second feline in Saint-Anicet, Quebec, located in the Montérégie region, has been diagnosed with raccoon rabies this summer. According to a news release from Santé Québec Montérégie-Centre on Monday, three individuals needed preventive treatment after encountering the infected cat. This incident follows the detection of a raccoon rabies case in a cat in Godmanchester, also within the Montérégie region, a week earlier.
Health authorities emphasize the necessity of keeping pets’ vaccinations current as raccoon rabies spreads across the Estrie, Montérégie, and Centre-du-Québec areas. Pet owners are advised to prevent their animals from roaming freely outdoors without supervision and to refrain from contact with unfamiliar domestic and wild creatures, regardless of their appearance or health status.
In the event of a bite, scratch, or exposure to a potentially rabid animal’s saliva, individuals are urged to wash the affected area for 10 to 15 minutes and promptly call Info-Santé at 811. Rapid administration of preventative treatment is crucial to halting the disease’s progression.
Animals infected with rabies may display altered behavior, aggression, biting tendencies, isolation, reduced appetite, excessive drooling, or unsteady movements. If a pet exhibits these signs, it should be isolated to limit contact with other beings and promptly assessed by a veterinarian.
Furthermore, the Environment Ministry confirmed the first instance of raccoon rabies in the Centre-du-Québec region in Saint-Eugène-de-Grantham. Residents in the Eastern Townships, Montérégie, and Centre-du-Québec regions are requested to report deceased, injured, disoriented, paralyzed, or unusually aggressive raccoons, skunks, or foxes via an online form. Individuals residing outside these areas can report potentially rabid wildlife by contacting the Environment Ministry at 1-877-346-6763.