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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — At least 20 people who came in contact with a stray kitten that came down with rabies after being taken in by a Colorado Springs family were forced to get shots.
Justin Jovel said the 6-month-old kitten had been checked by a veterinarian and received rabies shots a couple of weeks before showing symptoms of the deadly virus.
The virus can incubate for months, and once an animal is infected, the vaccination is useless, said Gretchen Pressley, spokeswoman for the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region.
"I was really worried at first for my kids, but once I did some research on it and found if we're not symptomatic, the chances of the vaccination working are very high," Jovel said.
Her family of four, including her daughters ages 2 and 3, needed shots along with staff members of Powers Pet Emergency and Specialty that diagnosed the kitten and others who came in contact, according to the Colorado Springs Gazette (http://tinyurl.com/qcgre6h ).
The virus attacks the brain and spinal cord and is usually fatal.
Jovel had to euthanize the kitten, her two dogs and another pet cat that were not properly vaccinated.
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Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazette.com
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