Bat found in Pueblo tests positive for rabies
A bat found in Pueblo earlier this week has tested positive for rabies, Pueblo health officials said Friday in a warning to residents to stay away from wildlife and make sure their pets' rabies vaccinations are up-to-date.
The bat was found on the Mesa, near 25th Lane and Everett Road, the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment said in a statement.
It was not thought to have been in contact with humans, but officials were concerned that it may have been in contact with pets or other animals, PDPHE spokeswoman Sarah Joseph told The Chieftain.
Pueblo health officials were told the bat had tested positive on Friday, she said.
Residents should take their pets to the veterinarian if they notice any unusual behavior, Joseph said.
Because bats are nocturnal animals, seeing one on the ground during daylight hours is unusual, she said.
Check to see if pets' rabies vaccinations are up-to-date
While many people think a rabid animal would be aggressive, Joseph said, animals with the disease can also become more placid.
"Animals either get aggressive or docile if they get rabies," she said. "I heard about a fox in Northern Colorado — this was a few years ago — where a mother looked out the window and saw her child walking a fox around on a leash. It turned out the fox had rabies and the disease had made it docile."
She urged pet owners to check how long their pets' rabies vaccines are valid for — either one, two or three years — and take their pets to the vet if they need the shot.
More: Skunk in Pueblo positive for rabies
Rabies is carried by bats, skunks, raccoons and foxes in Pueblo County. The disease, which is preventable through vaccination, is caused by a virus transmitted by the bite of an infected animal or can be caught if an infected animal’s saliva gets into a cut or break in the skin or through the eyes, nose or mouth.
Symptoms of rabies can include fever, agitation, abnormal behavior, seizures and paralysis. Prevention is vital: Once symptoms begin, treatments are ineffective and rabies is usually fatal.
Bats are common in Pueblo, especially near the mountains, Joseph said.
More: First case of human bird flu infection confirmed in Colorado
Anyone who finds a bat or other wild animal should "never touch it," said Vicki Carlton, program manager at PDPHE.
Instead, they should leave the area, keep pets away from the bat and call the U.S. Department of Agriculture at 719-355-9629 to ask for the wild animal to be picked up. At the same time, the incident should be reported to the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment at 719-583-4307.
Anyone who is bitten by a bat or other wild animal should wash the bite thoroughly with soap and water, then contact both a doctor and PDPHE, the health department said in its statement.
Karin Zeitvogel can be contacted at kzeitvogel@chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Bat found in Pueblo tests positive for rabies
