Health May 27, 2022 – 11:02 a.m. EDT
A health spokesman warns people in the neighborhood to be on the lookout for foxes or dogs showing signs of illness
A domestic dog in Whale Cove has died after being attacked by a fox with a positive rabies test, according to health spokesman Chris Puglia. (File photo)
From Nunatsiaq News
A domestic dog in Whale Cove has died after being attacked by a rabid fox.
Health spokesman Chris Puglia announced the death Thursday in a press release and confirmed that the fox in question had tested positive for the disease.
This is the second attack of its kind in Whale Cove this month that has resulted in the death of a dog.
This fox was not available for rabies testing, Puglia said, but the dog was sent for testing and the health department is expecting these results.
“Due to the danger of rabies, we advise all residents to watch out for foxes in the area,” Puglia said in a statement.
Anyone who has been bitten or scratched by a fox or dog should immediately go to the local health center and report the incident.
“Treatment should be started soon after exposure, as rabies infections are almost always fatal,” Puglia said.
Pets that spend time tied up outdoors should also be monitored for behavior changes and signs of rabies, which include strange behavior, staggering, foaming at the mouth, suffocation or making strange noises, he said.
Animals showing these symptoms should be avoided and reported to the Regional Environmental Health Service at 867-645-8071 or to the local conservation officer at 867-896-9189.
In January, GN’s head of wildlife operations, Jonathan Pin, said the increase in recent reports of rabid foxes in Nunavut was a result of the region’s booming fox population this year.
“Fox populations tend to go through rabies epidemics, and rabies is endemic in northern Canada, so that’s something we need to realize,” he told Nunatsiaq News at the time.
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