COOKE COUNTY, Texas — Five people are being treated after being exposed to rabies from a cow in Cooke County, the sheriff's office announced Friday.
On Jan. 30, Cook County Sheriff Ray Sappington says his office was notified after a 10-year-old unvaccinated cow tested positive for rabies.
The sheriff's office said when the cow became ill, the owners believed it was choking or have breathing issues. In an attempt to save the cow's life, the owners, two assistants and a veterinarian were all exposed to the saliva of the animal.
Sadly, the cow died from the illness and was sent to the state for rabies testing, Sheriff Sappington said.
When the test came back positive, the remaining herd (39 cows) was quarantined and vaccinated. The five who were have too received treatment, the sheriff said.
The Cooke County Sheriff's Office, cattle owners, veterinarian and state officials are working together to make sure the incident stays contained, officials said.
"The Cooke County Sheriff's Office encourages all animal owners to have their pets and livestock vaccinated to help combat the spread of disease," Sappington said in a news release.
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