Raccoon Found Near Carrollwood Tests Positive For Rabies

TAMPA, FL -- A raccoon found near the Tannery Avenue area near Carrollwood has tested positive for rabies.

Due to increased activity in northwest Hillsborough County, a rabies alert has been issued for 60 days in an area bounded by County Line Road to the north, Veterans Expressway to the west, west of Interstate 75 to the east and Kennedy Boulevard to the south.

The Department of Health in Hillsborough County said one person and one dog were exposed to the racoon.

Out of an abundance of caution, the person is receiving rabies post-exposure treatment. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization. Appropriate treatment started soon after the exposure will protect an exposed person from the disease.

The dog was found fighting the raccoon on Friday, March 9, around 8:30 p.m. The raccoon was killed by the dog.

The Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center was contacted by the dog's owner and the raccoon’s body was sent to the DOH state lab for testing.

The exposed dog was vaccinated and has been seen by a veterinarian. As a precaution, the owner has been asked to quarantine the dog for 45 days.

Last year, three animals exposed 10 people to rabies. During the first three months of 2018, Hillsborough County identified four rabid animals (two cats, one bat and one raccoon) that exposed 11 people and one dog to the disease.

Despite the increased number of confirmed cases, DOH-Hillsborough does not believe the cases are related.

Image via Shutterstock