Second raccoon with rabies found in Westlake Village

A second rabies-positive raccoon was found in the Westlake Village area, county health officials confirmed Friday, prompting renewed warnings for residents to avoid contact with the animals . In early October, the county Department of Public Health announced the discovery of the first rabid raccoon in the county since 1973, located in the backyard of a Westlake Village home.

Health officials said Friday the second rabid raccoon was also found in a Westlake Village backyard, in same general area where the first was located. The most recently discovered raccoon appeared sick and aggressive, but two people at a worksite in the area may have been exposed and are receiving follow-up care, according to the county.

“The detection of rabies in another raccoon is an important reminder to never touch, handle, or feed any wild animals , even when they appear healthy,” Dr. Muntu Davis, county health officer, said in a statement. “Always keep a safe distance from wildlife and contact your local animal control if you encounter an animal that appears to be sick, injured, or behaving unusually.

It is also critical to ensure your pets are up to date on rabies vaccination so they are protected before any potential exposure. Keeping your pets vaccinated is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your entire family.” According to the Department of Public Health, the rabid raccoon announced earlier this month was found to be positive with a rabies variant typically found in bats.

Testing is being done on the second raccoon to determine its strain of rabies. When the last known confirmed rabid raccoon in Los Angeles County was detected in 1973, the skunk variant (strain) of rabies was still present in the county, but that strain has not been detected here since 1979.

The last non-bat animal confirmed to have rabies in Los Angeles County was a skunk infected with the bat variant of rabies in Long Beach in 2014. Rabies causes tens of thousands of human deaths globally each year, with most human cases linked to exposure to dogs in countries where the dog strain of rabies is still present, health officials said.

Historically, rabies exposures in Los Angeles County have been associated with contact with bats. Rabid bat detections can vary year-to-year, but Los Angeles County has seen a steady upward trend for more than a decade. Peak season typically occurs in late summer.

So far this year, there have been a record-breaking 77 rabid bats confirmed in Los Angeles County, officials said. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal, however, timely administration of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after a potential exposure is highly effective at preventing disease.

Rabies is 100% fatal in animals once symptoms begin, but completely preventable through vaccination. Officials recommend vaccinating indoor-only cats and older pets, and ensuring all pets stay current on their rabies vaccine. Those bitten by a wild mammal (raccoon, skunk, opossum, coyote, etc.) were urged to seek medical advice immediately and report it to Public Health.

Those with pets who are bitten by a wild mammal should seek veterinary care immediately and report it to your local animal control and Public Health. Those who notice sick wildlife should not approach the animal, but should call their local animal control department. Other tips include not leaving pet food outdoors and not feeding free-roaming animals, keeping trash in containers with tightly fitting lids, and closing off crawl spaces and sealing openings where animals can enter.