Four in Lexington County exposed to rabies after caring for dog

Four people in Lexington County are undergoing post-exposure treatment for rabies after a dog they handled tested positive for the disease, Department of Health and Environmental Control officials said.

Cassandra Harris, a DHEC spokeswoman, said a dog, which came from the Monicello Road area in northwest Columbia, was given to an adoption agency in the Irmo area by animal control with evidence of healed wounds around its neck. The dog was later placed into foster care in the Gaston area.

Harris said the dog bit two people and exposed two others to the disease during the course of its care. The dog was euthanized on July 23 and tested positive for rabies the following day. Other animals that were in contact with the dog have received rabies boosters and are in quarantine.

So far in 2015, there have been 83 confirmed cases of rabies in animals throughout the state compared to a total of 139 confirmed cases in the state last year.

If your pet is bitten, scratched, licked or otherwise potentially exposed to the saliva of a wild, stray or unfamiliar animal that is behaving abnormally, call your local Environmental Quality Control office to report the incident. Handle the animal with care as family members can be exposed to the disease if fresh, wet saliva from an infected animal comes into contact with any open wounds or mucous membranes such as your eyes, nose and mouth.