Health authorities in Illinois have reported a rabies case in a pet dog, marking the first instance in the state since 1994.

A family in Chicago adopted a puppy from PAWS Chicago, a local animal rescue, in July. The rescue had ensured all necessary vaccinations, including rabies, were administered. However, the timeline and circumstances of the infection remain uncertain.

Over the following months, the puppy began displaying unpredictable behavior, culminating in an incident where it bit a household member. Consequently, the family returned the puppy to PAWS Chicago, which promptly initiated rabies monitoring protocols.

In collaboration with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control, PAWS Chicago monitored the puppy over a 10-day period. During this time, the puppy exhibited symptoms such as growling, snapping, barking, and anxiety.

The dog was euthanized on December 17, and blood samples were analyzed in a laboratory. Recently, the health department confirmed that the dog had tested positive for rabies.

According to Illinois officials, bats are the primary carriers of the rabies virus within the state. In contrast, other states often see the virus in animals like raccoons, skunks, and foxes. Specifically, in Cook County, where this case occurred, the last instance of a rabies-infected dog was in 1964, and no such cases had been reported since then.

In the US, rabies kills fewer than 10 people every year but roughly 5,000 animals die from it. The virus that causes the deadly infection is vaccine-preventable in pets, but it can take up to 28 days following the initial vaccine for an animal to be fully immunized.

When humans are exposed, there is a highly effective post-exposure vaccine and a series of rabies vaccinations to prevent the virus from developing. However, if the post-exposure vaccine is not given before symptoms appear, the infection becomes fatal. 

Illinois has confirmed its first case of rabies in a dog since 1994. The infected puppy was adopted from a Chicago rescue in July, which had administered a rabies vaccination. When and how the dog became infected remains unclear (stock image)

Officials at the Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control said: ‘At this time, 13 individuals known to have had direct contact with the dog have begun post-exposure prophylaxis, and no one is symptomatic.

‘Additionally, owners of pets who have had contact with this dog are being notified by ARC so that appropriate quarantine periods can begin and vaccine boosters can be administered. The risk of rabies to the public and their pets is low.’

Officials are now urgently working to pinpoint precisely how and when the dog contracted rabies as it moved from Georgia to PAWS Chicago and then to an adoptive family.

The dog was vaccinated against rabies in June and its initial behavioral issues were not linked to the disease. However, the incubation period for rabies in animals ranges widely.

Symptoms typically appear 20 to 60 days after exposure, but the virus can lie dormant for up to a year.  

Once active, the disease manifests through neurological signs such as unexplained aggression, lethargy, paralysis and fear of water. 

The dog’s concerning behavior got progressively worse since being adopted in late July, before biting someone in the home on December 11.  

In accordance with state law, the dog entered a mandatory 10-day observation period. 

Illinois has confirmed 48 cases of rabies across the state this year, all in wild bats

Currently, bats are the reservoir for animal rabies in Illinois. This case marks the first such infection in a doc since 1994 (stock)

By December 16, its condition had worsened, with behaviors becoming significantly more erratic.

The Chicago Veterinary Medical Association said: ‘Strain typing to determine whether the [rabies] strain is bat, fox or raccoon strain is being conducted. This will help direct efforts in determining a source…. Currently, bats are the reservoir for animal rabies in the state.’

PAWS Chicago said in a statement: ‘We have taken proactive steps focused on the health and safety of anyone in contact with the dog. We are working closely with public health authorities to provide all relevant history and clinical information regarding this animal.

‘Animals are beloved members of our families, and we are deeply saddened to learn of this case within our adoptive community… This condition is extremely rare, and PAWS Chicago has never experienced this situation before.”

Rabies is transmitted to people through direct contact with the saliva of an infected animal, almost always via a bite or scratch that breaks the skin. The virus can also enter the body if infected saliva comes into contact with a person’s eyes, nose, mouth or an open wound.

Once introduced, the virus travels along nerves to the brain. It is not spread through casual contact, petting, or exposure to an animal’s blood, urine or feces. 

Due to the 100 percent fatality rate once symptoms begin without treatment, immediate medical care, including thorough wound cleaning and a post-exposure vaccination series, is essential after any potential exposure.