GRAFTON — A stray dog found running loose in Grafton around Oct. 15, 2025, tested negative for rabies, city officials announced Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025.
The male dog began showing signs of illness the day after it was found and was taken to Hawthorne Animal Hospital in Glen Carbon.
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Veterinarians there suspected the animal might have contracted rabies and euthanized the dog to conduct testing.
Officials had previously advised that anyone who had direct physical contact with the dog should consider consulting their physician as a precaution.
Rabies is typically transmitted to stray dogs through the bite of an infected animal. The virus is present in the saliva of a rabid animal and can also spread if saliva enters an open wound or mucous membranes.
