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Rabies was found in a skunk in Curry County this week — the first such confirmed case of the virus in New Mexico this year.
David Morgan, a state Department of Health spokesperson, said in a news release Friday that the skunk was found in Clovis but gave no other details.
“Rabies is uncommon in household pets like dogs and cats — because responsible pet owners make sure their animals are up-to-date on their rabies boosters,” Dr. Erin Phipps, state public health veterinarian, said in a statement. “Rabies vaccination is the best defense to protect your pet from infection.”
Rabies is a deadly virus that affects mammals, particularly wildlife like skunks, bats and foxes in the state.
The NMDOH gave several recommendations to protect yourself from the disease: do not approach wild animals, dead or alive; report any wildlife “acting out of the ordinary” to Game and Fish; if bitten by an animal, immediately wash the injury and report it to animal control; keep pets on a leash, and consider vaccinating horses and livestock.
