DENVER — Attendees of a puppy adoption event in Englewood are being asked to contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) , as health officials say they may have been exposed to rabies. A puppy at the Moms and Mutts Colorado (MAMCO) Rescue for Pregnant and Nursing Dogs adoption event, held on Saturday, July 20, tested positive for rabies on Wednesday and has been euthanized, CDPHE said in a release. According to the department, euthanizing an animal is the only way to test it for rabies.
This is the first time a dog has tested positive for rabies in Colorado since 2020, per the release. Health officials ask that attendees who interacted with the "July Shepherd Mix litter," also referred to as "The Celebrity Kids litter," contact the health department for a screening. Booster vaccines may be necessary for any exposed animals that were already vaccinated for rabies.
How to get in contact with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: For regular business hours, people can call the CDPHE hotline at 303-692-2700 For calls after hours, during weekends, or on holidays, people can call 303-370-9395 What will happen to humans exposed to rabies? After conducting a risk assessment, public health officials recommended a rabies post-exposure prophylaxis — "a safe and effective way to prevent rabies infection" in humans — for 17 people who were in close contact with the infected puppy, per the release. Health officials will continue screening people who attended the adoption event and offer post-exposure prophylaxis if needed. What will happen to other animals exposed to rabies? According to the release, the rabies-positive puppy was originally from Texas and was at the MAMCO event with its 11 unvaccinated littermates.
Because there are no licensed post-exposure prophylaxis products for animals, unvaccinated animals exposed to rabies should either be euthanized or placed in a 120-day quarantine in a facility that separates them from humans and other animals, CDPHE said. Due to the fact that "strict quarantine is not feasible," public health officials are contacting those fostering the exposed puppies about surrendering them in accordance with guidance from the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians. The health department said efforts to locate other possible animal exposures are underway.
What is rabies? Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is usually transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, according to CDPHE. There are vaccines to prevent rabies in dogs, cats and ferrets. Although the incubation period is usually between three and six weeks, the department said it can range from days to months for humans or animals, depending on how the exposure happened.
Colorado reportedly has an average of 50 positive rabies specimens every year and has not had a human case of rabies since 1931. Related Articles Rabid bat found in Fort Collins Animal control searching for dog in Fort Collins after it attacked a 6-year-old girl Bats found in Boulder County test positive for rabies.
