Manitoba dog owner warning of rabies after dogs attacked by skunks
A Manitoba dog owner is warning others to be careful about rabies after a rabid skunk attacked her dog earlier this month.
Ashley Bartel raises dogs at Lanfear Newfoundlands, and said one of her dogs was attacked by a rabid skunk earlier this month, while a second dog in the area was also attacked.
Video set up at her home in Oakbank. Man. shows one of the attacks, with the skunk appearing from under the deck and chasing after the dog.
She shaved her dog’s long fur and determined he had not been bitten.
The skunk was later killed, and tests found it had rabies.
Bartel said the dogs are all up to date but she is completing booster shots just in case and vaccinating her goats.
“The skunk was in the goat pen quite a bit,” she said, adding it was unusual for the critters to be out in broad daylight.
A spokesperson for the Manitoba government confirmed to CTV Winnipeg that two skunks tested positive for rabies in the RM of Springfield in the last two weeks. They said skunks pose the highest risk of rabies among all wildlife in Manitoba, ahead of bats and Arctic foxes.
“The province no longer traps skunks to test for rabies and previously gained information showed that skunks in southern Manitoba circulate and maintain the rabies virus in the population every year, which means there is always a risk that skunks in Manitoba have rabies,” the spokesperson said.
Signs of rabies in animals include aggressive behaviour, attacking people and other animals, and showing neurological symptoms such as stumbling, walking in circles or being very lethargic. The province said people should avoid animals showing these symptoms.
Correction
Editor's Note: This is a corrected story. We previously reported that the goats had to be tested when in fact they are being vaccinated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump refers to 'Governor Justin Trudeau' after prime minister says Canada will respond to tariff threat
Amid a looming tariff threat, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump appears to be mocking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as 'Governor Justin Trudeau' in a post on Truth Social early Tuesday.
'I never got the impression he would self-destruct:' Friends of suspect in fatal CEO shooting left in shock
Months before police identified Luigi Mangione as the man they suspect gunned down a top health insurance CEO and then seemingly vanished from Midtown Manhattan, another disappearing act worried his friends and family.
Union dropped wage demand to 19% over four years in Canada Post negotiations: CUPW
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has reportedly dropped its wage demand to 19 per cent over four years, CUPW negotiator Jim Gallant told CTV News.
N.Y. prosecutors charge Luigi Mangione with murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO, court records show
Late Monday, Manhattan prosecutors filed murder and other charges against Luigi Nicholas Mangione in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO, according to an online court docket.
Taxpayer-funded Eras Tour tickets returned by federal minister
While tens of thousands of fans packed Vancouver's BC Place for the last shows of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour this weekend, a federal cabinet minister wasn't one of them.
'I was just trying to help her': Ontario woman loses $14,000 to taxi scam
An Ontario woman thought she was helping another woman pay for their taxi ride, but instead she was defrauded of $14,000.
opinion Are extended warranties ever worth buying?
It seems extended warranties are offered for almost every small electronics purchase. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew explains the benefits and drawbacks of extended warranties, and highlights which ones can be useful, and even necessary.
How U.S. tariffs could affect Canada's agriculture industry and consumer prices
As Donald Trump's inauguration looms, Canada's agriculture industry is waiting with bated breath to see whether the sweeping tariffs he's threatened will come to pass.
Israeli warplanes pound Syria as troops reportedly advance deeper into the country
Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops advanced deeper into the country, drawing to within 25 kilometres of the capital, a Syrian opposition war monitor said Tuesday. Israel denied its forces were advancing toward Damascus.