Rabies Reported In Michigan Dog For First Time Since 2011

DETROIT — Rabies has been identified in a 6-month-old dog from Detroit, the first rabid dog reported in Michigan since 2011, authorities said recently.

The dog was not vaccinated against rabies, prompting state officials to urge Michiganders to have their pets and livestock vaccinated. Any mammal can be infected with rabies, but the virus typically is carried by skunks or bats.

“Rabies virus is present in the saliva and brain tissue of an infected animal,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan's chief medical executive and chief deputy for health for MDHHS, said in a news release. “People can be exposed to rabies when they are bitten by a rabid animal. Other possible routes for exposure include getting infectious material in your eyes, nose, or mouth or on fresh cuts in the skin. Make sure pets are vaccinated and avoid contact with stray or wild animals to reduce your risk of exposure to this potentially fatal disease."

The family of the rabid dog reported that it recently had an altercation with another animal in their yard during the night, officials said. People who came in close contact with the infected dog have been referred to healthcare providers.

State law requires that dogs and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian. It is also important to make sure cats, even those kept strictly indoors, be vaccinated against rabies.