Positive rabies cases have been rising in Sierra Vista and Cochise County. The Nancy J. Brua Animal Care Center staff urge residents to ensure their pets are up to date on the rabies vaccine.

Since mid-July, Sierra Vista has had three confirmed rabies cases and Cochise County has had an additional four, bringing the total to seven confirmed cases in the past two months. To put that into perspective, the county normally has only one positive rabies case every six months.

With rabies cases on the rise, animal control officers at the Nancy J. Brua Animal Care Center urge residents to ensure that their pets are up to date on the rabies vaccine.

“It’s critical that all pet owners make sure their animals have current rabies vaccines,” Animal Control Officer Brittany Schultz says. “Having immunity not only protects pets but helps to safeguard our residents from the possibly deadly effects of rabies.”

Recently, a Hereford resident was bitten by a rabid skunk. If residents encounter a rabid animal, they are encouraged to report it by calling dispatch at (520) 803-3555. If bitten, seek immediate medical attention.

How to spot rabies

Rabies is a virus that can manifest in a variety of ways in animals. Below are symptoms that may indicate an animal is rabid.

Behavioral changes

Animals may become unusually aggressive or affectionate, lose their fear of people, become excited or irritable, or act in a way different from normal behaviors. For example, wild animals that are normally only active at night may appear during the day.

Other symptoms

Animals may also have trouble swallowing, excessive salivation, hypersensitivity to light and sound, enlarged pupils, vomiting, diarrhea, a light fever, staggering, convulsions, choking, frothing at the mouth, paralysis, seizures, itching at the bite site, self-mutilation, or difficulty breathing.