SPRINGFIELD, ILL. -- The Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Department of Agriculture are reporting a bull testing positive for rabies. The bull was pastured in east Macon County and developed signs of rabies on Monday, Jan. 24, 2011. The owner did not report any known exposure to odd acting wild animals, but reported many wild animals are sighted on his property.
Rabies is a virus that affects the central nervous system. Of all Illinois wild animals, rabies is most common in bats. When skunk rabies virus is circulating, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and other wild animals can be affected. Cats, dogs and livestock can get rabies, too, if they are not rabies vaccinated.
The Katherine Road Animal Hospital says it has been decades since rabies has been seen in Adams County. But the stronly encourage vaccination of domestic animals, including horses, dogs, cats and ferrets. Herd owners should consider rabies vaccination for valuable cattle.
The last domestic animal with rabies in the state was reported in 2005 in a cow that had been pastured in both Bureau and LaSalle counties. A horse tested positive for rabies in 2004 that had been pastured in LaSalle County.
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