In the event you obtained cozy with a woodchuck in Dartmouth final weekend, get checked out, officers say

A woodchuck that turned up at John George Ice Cream in Dartmouth round 5 p.m. on Sunday might have posed a well being threat, the Board of Well being warns.

They’re asking that anybody who had direct contact with the animal get checked out by a well being care skilled for a rabies publicity threat evaluation.

The division says that woodchucks are recognized to be high-risk for rabies transmission, and that even wholesome wanting woodchucks might need the illness of their saliva. People who find themselves straight bitten, scratched, or who one way or the other get the saliva in an open wound, the eyes, the nostril, or the mouth, are susceptible to rabies contraction. 

Nevertheless, there’s a therapy for rabies that, if utilized promptly, can forestall the illness. Along with a well being care supplier, folks also can contact the Massachusetts Division of Public Well being straight at 617-983-6800.