Crime & Safety

11 Georgians Exposed to Rabid Cherokee Dog

The dog belonged to a family living near the intersection of Union Hill and East Cherokee roads.

Eleven Georgians – seven from Cherokee County, three from Pickens County and one from Houston County – were exposed to an unvaccinated dog that later tested positive for rabies.

"The dog had become ill with the rabies virus, exposing everyone who came into contact with it, including five family members and six others who had visited the home," said Jennifer King, spokeswoman for the North Georgia Health District in Dalton. "It is not known how or where the dog came into contact with rabies."

The dog belonged to a family living near the intersection of Union Hill and East Cherokee roads. It died June 24. Prior to the dog's death, it bit its two adult owners and a pig.

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The dog's body was taken to the Cherokee Emergency Veterinarian Clinic. Its head was removed for rabies testing, then sent to the Georgia State Laboratory on June 27. Two days later, the test came back positive.

To treat the rabies, the 11 Georgians must receive one shot of rabies immune globulin and four shots of rabies vaccine over a two-week period, Cherokee County Environmental Health Manager Curtis
Barnhart said.

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The pig that was bitten by the dog will have to be euthanized.

FAST FACTS

For more rabies prevention information, call the Cherokee County Environmental Health Office at 770-479-0444. Click here for additional information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Click on the PDF on this page for additional details.

 


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