The Polk County Health Department has identified a positive case of rabies here this past week.

Rabies continues to spread through Georgia. In response to this continued threat, the Polk County Health Department,

Polk County Humane Society, and Cedartown Animal Control are sponsoring the Fourth Annual Rabies Clinic to be held in Cedartown. The clinic will be held at the Purks Gym located at 330 West Ave. in Cedartown on Saturday, September 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All shots will be $5 for dogs, cats, and ferrets, and $10 for horses. Cedartown Animal Control will be issuing city dog licenses for $3 per dog. All animals must be at least 12 weeks of age, healthy, and restrained with a leash or carrier.

The Polk County Humane Society will also be at the event selling T-shirts and distributing information concerning rabies and the care of pets.

Rabies is a fatal virus, which attacks the central nervous system. The virus is transferred through saliva when a rabid animal bites and/or scratches another animal.

Unless the victim obtains immediate treatment, the virus will penetrate the nerve endings, traveling to the brain and saliva glands resulting in the victim’s death. Symptoms can vary or mimic other neurological diseases. To protect yourself and others against rabies, the following is a list of necessary precautions that should be taken:

-All cats, ferrets, and dogs, especially hunting dogs, should be vaccinated against rabies. Not only is it the law, but also you are protecting yourself and loved ones.

-Limit your contact with stray dogs and cats and avoid wild animals such as raccoons, bats, coyotes, skunks, etc. as they could be carrying the deadly virus.

The following is a list of things you should do if you think you may have been exposed to a suspected rabid animal through a bite or scratch:

-Wash the wound with warm soapy water.

-Seek immediate medical treatment

-Contact the local health department in your area.

Based on the Georgia Rabies Control Manual, it is the responsibility of the person who has been exposed to report the bite to the local health department. The following is a list of things you should do with the animal that bit you:

- If the animal is a dog or cat, do not kill the animal. The health department will determine if the animal should be confined for 10 days or if the animal should be euthanized for testing. If the dog or cat is a stray, City Animal Control officers can provide assistance in the capture and confinement of the animal if it is within the city limits.

All residents of Polk County are encouraged to vaccinate their pets against rabies. By taking these necessary precautions, everyone can protect themselves, their pets, and their community from this deadly disease.

If there are any questions or concerns, please call the Polk County Health Department 770-749-2270 and ask for Kathy Couey-Miller, Environmental Health Specialist II.