State health officials urge pet owners to update rabies shots as fourth case confirmed in southwest New Mexico

SANTA FE - A coyote that bit a hiker in the Gila National Forest near Silver City has tested positive for rabies, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

The hiker was not hospitalized but is receiving routine post-exposure treatment. NMDOH’s Scientific Laboratory Division confirmed the diagnosis. It is the fourth rabid animal identified this year in southwest New Mexico, following earlier cases involving a bobcat in Sierra County, a coyote in Catron County and a dog in Grant County.

“Rabies is preventable, but only if we take it seriously,” said Dr. Erin Phipps, the state’s public health veterinarian. “The best way to protect your family — including your pets — is to make sure your animals are vaccinated.”

The High Desert Humane Society will hold a low-cost rabies vaccination clinic Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon at 3050 South Cougar Way in Silver City. Clinics are frequently held on the second Saturday of each month, and a one-year rabies vaccine costs $10.

While bats remain the most common carriers of rabies in New Mexico, all mammals are susceptible. Southwest counties report the state’s highest rates of rabies in animals other than bats.

NMDOH recommends the following steps to reduce rabies risk:

• Keep pets current on vaccinations and make sure they wear license tags.
• If a wild animal scratches or bites your cat or dog, call a veterinarian for a rabies booster.
• If an animal bites you, wash the wound immediately with soap and water and seek medical care.
• Vaccinate horses and other household animals, even if they stay on your property.
• Report exposures or bites to local animal control and call the NMDOH Helpline at 1-833-SWNURSE (1-833-796-8773).

More information is available at nmhealth.org/about/erd/ideb/zdp/rab/.