A raccoon killed by an Old Bridge resident's pet dog has tested positive for rabies, according to health officials.
Middlesex County health officials said a raccoon killed by an Old Bridge resident's pet dog has tested positive for rabies. OLD BRIDGE -- The Middlesex County Office of Health Services has reported that a raccoon found in the vicinity of Homer Road and Mercury Circle has tested positive for rabies.
Lester Jones, the county health officer, said the Old Bridge animal control officer received a call on Wednesday from a resident who reported the resident's dog had killed a raccoon.
Jones said the raccoon was sent to the New Jersey Department of Health Laboratory for testing and reported back on Thursday that the raccoon tested positive for rabies.
It is the second rabid animal reported in the county this year and the first reported in Old Bridge.
Jones said the resident was notified to consult a physician about his or her exposure to rabies during the incident and take the dog to a veterinarian as a result of the animal's exposure to the raccoon.
He said a county health services registered environmental health specialist will be distributing rabies fact sheets within the area.
He did not say whether the resident's dog was current with its rabies vaccinations.
Rabies is caused by a virus which can infect all warm-blooded mammals, including humans. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of the rabid animal and is transmitted by a bite, or possibly by contamination of an open cut.
Residents should report wild animals showing signs of unusual behavior to the police department, health officials said. It is also recommended that residents should avoid contact with wild animals and immediately report any bites from wild or domestic animals to the local health departments and consult a physician as soon as possible. Officials also warn that all family pets should be up to date with their rabies vaccinations and licenses.
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