A Chicago dog that bit a person earlier this month has tested positive for rabies, state public health officials said, marking the first confirmed canine case in Illinois since the mid-1990s. The animal was euthanized after its behavior worsened and a laboratory test came back positive last Friday, and public health teams are now tracking down people and animals that may have been exposed.
According to NBC Chicago, the dog bit an individual on a Thursday, was held under state quarantine rules, and was euthanized the following week. A Chicago laboratory then reported a positive direct fluorescent antibody test last Friday. NBC Chicago also reports the dog was adopted from a Florida rescue in May and received a rabies vaccination in June, and officials are now investigating whether it was exposed before that shot.
What Officials Are Saying
The Illinois Department of Public Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health say they are evaluating anyone who had contact with the dog to decide if rabies post-exposure treatment is needed, following guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health. IDPH notes that signs of rabies in animals can include restlessness, aggression, hypersensitivity, and excessive salivation, and that the typical incubation period for dogs is about 20 to 60 days, although it can stretch up to a year.
What Pet Owners Should Do
Public health and animal control officials are urging pet owners to double-check vaccination records and call their veterinarian if their animal had direct contact with the infected dog. The Cook County Department of Animal and Rabies Control advises that vaccinated dogs exposed to a rabid animal should receive a booster shot and be quarantined at home for 45 days, while unvaccinated animals may face a longer supervised quarantine or euthanasia. County information pages also list local vaccine clinics and testing resources.
How Rare Is This?
State officials told NBC Chicago that this is the first canine rabies case in Illinois since 1994 and the first in Cook County in at least six decades. The Illinois Department of Public Health emphasizes that bats are currently the only known reservoir for animal rabies in the state and that confirmed cases in domestic animals remain uncommon.
What To Do If You Or Your Pet Were Exposed
If a person is bitten, health officials say to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical care immediately. Providers and public health staff will assess the risk and may recommend rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, which can include human rabies immune globulin and a vaccine series, according to the CDC. Pet owners should contact their veterinarian and local animal control to determine the next steps on quarantine, testing, and booster shots. Officials say they will update the public as contact tracing and laboratory work continue.
