On April 23rd Manitoba detected a rabies positive dog in the City of Winnipeg. The 1.5 year old dog was originally from Nunavut and is believed to have been exposed to an Arctic fox in the weeks before it was brought into Winnipeg through a local rescue.
The exact date of exposure is unknown, but locals in the community noted the dog chasing a fox on or around February 27th, 2025, along with a pack of other dogs. This dog arrived in Winnipeg on March 31st, was quarantined for 2 weeks by the rescue, then was vaccinated (with rabies and distemper/ parvo) and was spayed on April 16th at a Winnipeg veterinary clinic. Symptoms of rabies began on April 18th, and the dog died on the 20th from a cardiac arrest after sedation at another Winnipeg vet clinic (the dog was aggressive and could not be handled while awake). Symptoms included lethargy, hypersalivation, stargazing, and aggression. Positive rabies test results were received on April 23rd. Variant typing is pending, but the arctic fox variant is anticipated considering the wildlife activity and sighting in the area.
Rabies virus is present throughout Canada in a variety of wildlife hosts. Arctic foxes, skunks, and bats are the main reservoir species in Manitoba. The virus is spread through saliva and has a long incubation period (the time between exposure and expression of symptoms) of up to 6 months. Unfortunately, once symptoms appear, rabies is 100% fatal, and mortality generally occurs within 10 days of symptom development. Rabies vaccines are extremely effective at preventing disease progression when given shortly after exposure (ideally within 7 days). In dogs that are incubating the virus, a rabies vaccine can sometimes accelerate disease progression, as seen in this case. Generally, rabies virus is only seen in saliva when symptoms are present, but it is possible for viral expression in the few days prior to symptom detection. There are no antemortem tests for rabies, diagnosis can only be made post-mortem on fresh brain tissue.
At least 3 individuals are receiving post-exposure treatment after handling this dog while it was symptomatic, and several more individuals are receiving post-exposure treatment after handling the dog at the time of her spay on April 16th. One dog in the foster home received post-exposure vaccination but does not require a quarantine as it was fully vaccinated prior to its exposure.
There are 2 other dogs that came from this community that are related to the positive dog (possibly her puppies, both aged ~6 months). The dogs were flown to Winnipeg separately over the course of 6 weeks (Puppy 1 arrived Feb 28th, Puppy 2 arrived April 20th). Puppy 1 was vaccinated in March and then adopted out to a home in Ontario, while Puppy 2 was vaccinated shortly after arrival and is still in Winnipeg. Neither puppy had known exposure to wildlife.
The three dogs were last together in February, in Nunavut, with no contact with the positive dog while it was symptomatic. Neither of the two puppies are undergoing a quarantine as they had no known exposure and have both received a first rabies vaccine.
Both the veterinary health and public health teams for Nunavut and Ontario were made aware of the case, the dogs’ origins, and the current locations of the puppies. No further follow-up is anticipated.
While rabies is a rare disease in domestic animals in Canada, this case illustrates the importance of widespread animal vaccination and record keeping of animal travel. With domestic animal relocations from high-risk areas, and wildlife habitat range changes due to climate change and urbanization, the risk of rabies is present across the country, including in regions with no previous cases. Animal vaccines are a safe and effective means of protecting both animal health and human health, and clear record-keeping is invaluable during disease investigations.
For questions on rabies testing or to report a rabies concern, call the Manitoba Agriculture on-call veterinarian at the rabies line, 204-470-1108.
Alexandra Jerao, DVM
Operations Veterinarian – One Health & Rabies, Manitoba Agriculture
