A groundhog that was killed by a dog in the backyard of a Cherry Hill home was confirmed to have rabies, health officials said.
The groundhog was killed by the family’s dog on May 31 and was picked up by an animal control officer and tested at the state Public Health & Environmental Laboratories in Trenton, the Camden County Health Department said. On Friday, the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services was notified by the lab that the groundhog was rabid.
The animal control officer and the pet owners were notified and the dog, which was vaccinated against rabies, received a rabies booster shot and will be under observation for 45 days, authorities said.
There were no other known animal or human exposures to the groundhog, officials said.
Rabies is an infectious disease that attacks the central nervous system. It travels from the brain to salivary glands during its final stages, making an animal become infectious days before it dies.
It cannot travel from one animal to another unless the skin is broken, and is not air-borne, but it can spread through open wounds that come in contact with saliva from an infected animal.
“Rabies is a serious illness, but it can be prevented with early treatment,” said Camden County Commissioner Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the county Health Department. “So if you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal, it is imperative that you seek immediate medical attention.”
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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.