Rebecca Lanning received a distressing call last Friday regarding her 4-year-old son’s potential rabies exposure during a family outing. The incident took place thirteen days prior, on August 15, when the family attended a dinosaur exhibit in Mocksville, North Carolina. They enjoyed food trucks, carnival games, and a petting zoo where Lanning’s son fed baby goats.

Lanning, 30, from Marion, recounted, “I didn’t think anything of it until Friday, when his aunt called me and was like, ‘Hey, we have a situation.’” The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services revealed Friday that three baby goats tested positive for rabies. A fourth goat, suspected of having the disease, was euthanized as well.

In response, Lanning immediately sought medical attention for her son. He received the initial doses of the rabies vaccine, which is administered as post-exposure prophylaxis. This treatment is crucial in halting rabies progression, as the disease becomes nearly always fatal once symptoms arise. Rabies attacks the brain and spinal cord, making early vaccination essential. The vaccine is nearly 100% effective if given before symptoms appear. Exposure typically occurs through contact with saliva or scratches or bites from an infected animal.

Lanning expressed concern, saying, “My fear is that if he was feeding the goats, and he’s 4, who’s to say that he didn’t touch his mouth or eyes?” Her son has received three of the six required shots.

Rabies symptoms can mimic the flu, presenting as weakness, fatigue, fever, and headaches. The health department notes that an “itching sensation” may occur at the exposure site. The number of individuals exposed to the infected goats remains unclear. The mobile petting zoo, Farm Adventures, had presented the goats at various events across the state, including private parties and a community bash. An assisted living facility was also among the venues.

The petting zoo suspects the goats contracted rabies from a skunk which infiltrated their pen. Skunks, alongside bats, raccoons, and foxes, are common rabies carriers. North Carolina’s health department is collaborating with local agencies to ensure rabies vaccines are accessible.

Rabies incidents are reportedly increasing across the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates 1.4 million Americans are monitored annually for potential exposure to the virus, and approximately 100,000 individuals receive post-exposure prophylaxis shots.