A raccoon that tested positive for rabies in Port Tobacco is the third confirmed rabid animal found in Charles County in just over a week, health officials say.
The Charles County Department of Health said the raccoon tested positive Aug. 31 near Mary Drive and Shirley Boulevard in Port Tobacco. Anyone who or whose pet had recent contact with a raccoon in that area is asked to call the health department at 301-609-6768.
The case follows two others confirmed just 10 days earlier: a skunk found near Plenty Highlands Place, also in Port Tobacco, and a bat found near Green Woods Lane in Waldorf, both testing positive Aug. 21. All three animals were confirmed within the same general area of the county over a roughly 10-day span.
The local cluster comes amid a broader wave of rabies-related incidents across Maryland this summer. Three rabid-beaver attacks were reported at state parks in the weeks prior, including two beavers that bit people at Cunningham Falls State Park and a third, presumed-rabid beaver that attacked a 10-year-old girl at Seneca Creek State Park — incidents that led to partial park closures and emergency medical treatment for those bitten.
Rabies spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, most often through a bite or scratch, though secondary exposure can occur from contact with saliva on an infected animal’s fur. The virus can enter the body through open cuts or wounds, or through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Dogs, cats, and ferrets can contract rabies from wildlife such as raccoons, foxes, skunks, and bats; livestock can also become infected, and owners are encouraged to consult a veterinarian about livestock vaccination.
Charles County health officials are urging residents to avoid contact with unknown wild animals, keep pets from roaming unsupervised, and make sure children know to stay away from wildlife. Keeping pets current on their rabies vaccinations is the most effective way to prevent the disease, officials said.
Vaccines are available through local veterinarians, as well as at Petco, Banfield, and Tractor Supply locations. The county and Charles County Animal Control will also host two free drive-through rabies clinics for dogs, cats, and ferrets this fall, on Sunday, Oct. 18, and Sunday, Nov. 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at 10425 Audie Lane in La Plata. Pet owners are asked to bring a previous rabies certificate to receive a three-year vaccine. Questions about the clinics can be directed to 301-609-3425 or 301-609-6751.
