Fifty cats euthanised after rabies case
The owner could not prove any of the 50 cats had been rabies vaccinated.
A colony of more than 50 cats have been euthanised in Delaware after a four-week-old kitten was confirmed to have rabies.
The owner of the cats could provide "no reliable information" to prove any of the other animals had received rabies vaccinations, according to Delaware's Division of Public Health (DPH).
The kitten tested positive on November 10 and all but one of its litter mates died of similar symptoms. Although the litter had been confined to a private residence, it is suspected they were infected by adult cats that spent time both indoors and outdoors.
All 50 cats were surrendered to Delaware Animal Care and Control by the owner.
No bites have been reported and all those who were potentially exposed - including the owner and staff at the veterinary clinic - have been referred for post-exposure prophylaxis.
Rabies is endemic in Delaware and residents are advised to keep their pets' rabies vaccinations up to date and to avoid wild or unfamiliar animals. Of 126 animals tested since January 2014, eight including the kitten tested positive. It is suspected there may be many more cases in wild animals.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
