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tery, the state health commissioner, “the rapid geographic expansion of the raccoon epizootic (an epidemic occurring in animals) is significant.” Last year, Alleghany, Caroline, Essex, Goochland, Henrico and King and Queen counties reported rabid raccoons for the first time; this year King William and Cumberland counties have already reported rabid raccoons. This, Dr. Butteiy said, confirms the spread of the outbreak among raccoons south of the James River.
Rabid skunks, believed to be associated with the raccoon outbreak, have also been reported south of the James River in Buckingham and Cumberland counties.
“Since there are presently no effective direct methods to control wildlife rabies, we depend on indirect methods to protect the public from this universally fatal disease,” Dr. Buttery emphasized.
The most important protection is vaccination of dogs and cats agaisnt rabies. Because pets are so much a part of family life, Dr. Buttery explained, they are much more likely than wild animals to expose large numbers of people when they become rabid.
Since 1980, 33 cats and three dogs have been diagnosed as rabid in Virginia. This coincides with a nationwide trend in which more cats than dogs are consistently being reported as rabid.
The number of rabid dogs decreased dramatically in the mid 1950s when effective dog rabies vaccines became available and stray dog control became a priority. Virginia presently has a law requiring all dogs older than six months to be vaccinated against rabies.
According to Dr. Buttery, cat rabies became headline news in the Commonwealth when two rabid cats were reported in Hanover County north of Richmond earlier this year. Six people were required to undergo the expensive ($500) and painful post-exposure treatment after contact with these unvaccinated pet cats.
Fauquier and Rockbridge counties have also reported rabid cats this year, resulting in another nine people undergoing treatment.
“it would be a grave mistake,” Dr. Buttery said, “not to take every reasonable action to prevent human rabies cases in Virginia. Accordingly, I am requesting that localities adopt an ordinance as soon as possible, requiring cats to be vaccinated
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