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Rabid Chihuahua Raises Concerns in Pauls Valley

News9.com

PAULS VALLEY, Oklahoma – Several workers at the Pauls Valley Animal Shelter are being treated for rabies after they were bitten by a rabid dog found outside the shelter.

Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) officials sent out a warning to anyone who had direct contact with the adult, female Chihuahua with black fur and a white muzzle in the Pauls Valley area between Oct. 31 and Nov. 3 because they may have been exposed to rabies virus.

Rabies normally occurs in certain animals, but when there is human contact it can be dangerous even deadly.

Sheri Harris was one of the workers at the Pauls Valley Animal Shelter who cared for the Chihuahua and was bitten.

“She just reached out the wrong time when I didn't have my gloves on and caught me on the finger, just enough to draw some blood,” said Sheri Harris.

Two other workers were also bitten.

“I look back now and I realize that yeah she had the signs of a dog with rabies. She had the glazed over eyes and she was biting at everything and going in circles and acting really strange,” Harris said.

The Chihuahua was found at the front gate of the Pauls Valley Animal Shelter, 300 East Airport Industrial Road, at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 3. The dog didn't have any tags so it was quarantined for 10 days.

“During those 10 days, the dog showed signs of being ill. As protocol, the dog was then euthanized and sent to the state for testing for rabies,” said Pauls Valley Police Det. Scott Robbins.

The test came back positive and now the state is trying to figure out if anyone owned the dog and dropped it off or if it was simply a stray.

“The general population would not be at risk. It really is a disease or a virus that is only transmitted either through a bite because the disease is transmitted through the saliva of an animal or if that saliva gets into a fresh open cut or your eyes, nose, or mouth, if you let an animal lick on their face,” said Laurence Burnsed with the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

The workers at the Pauls Valley Animal Shelter are being treated for exposure.

“Her nipping me was nothing in this line of work. It was just like a scratch,” Harris said.

The state health department said rabies shots are very effective if you get treated right away. If you know the owner of the dog or think you may have been exposed, you need to call the State Health Department at 800-234-5963.

So far in 2009, there have been a total of 46 cases of animal rabies reported in Oklahoma.