TUSCOLA, Ill. (WAND) - The Douglas County Health Department is advising residents to watch for symptoms of tularemia after a dead rabbit infected with the disease was discovered in Tuscola.
This discovery comes just a week after a tularemia-infected squirrel was found in Urbana.
Tularemia, a rare disease also known as Rabbit Fever, commonly found in rodents, rabbits, and hares, but can also affect pets and humans.
According to DCHD symptoms of the disease in pets and humans are very similar. They include skin ulcers, fever, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle aches.
To protect pets, the DCHD recommends keeping them indoors, consulting veterinarians for tick prevention, and reporting die-offs of wild animals. For humans, use tick protection, avoid mowing over sick animals, and consult healthcare providers if symptoms develop.
Copyright 2025. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
