Upper St. Clair dog attacked by rabid raccoon
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The Allegheny County Health Department said Wednesday a raccoon found in Upper St. Clair tested positive for rabies.
In a news release, ACHD said the raccoon was “involved in an altercation” with a dog on Shenandoah Drive in Upper St. Clair. The dog was up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations.
The health department said the raccoon is the county’s first rabid animal case in 2019. There were 25 confirmed cases of rabies in animals in 2018. Those included 12 raccoons, nine bats, one fox and one groundhog. The final number of confirmed rabies cases in 2018 are not final, however, because the state Health Department has yet to release a rabies report.
ACHD warned residents to always avoid wild and stray animals to avoid exposure to rabies, “even if they appear healthy.”
“If any animal appears to be acting strange or becomes threatening, residents should immediately notify local animal control service, the police or Pennsylvania Game Commission,” said the news release.
The health department also warned residents to watch their pets closely and make sure they are updated with vaccinations.
The rabies virus is transmitted by an animal bite or scratch and are “almost always fatal when left untreated,” said ACHD.
Anyone who has been bitten, scratched or exposed to saliva from a stray or other animal should clean the contact area with soap and water, seek emergency medical treatment and call ACHD at 412-687-2243 to report the incident.
Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Dillon at 412-871-2325, dcarr@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dillonswriting.