Oshkosh rabies meeting set for tonight

7 rabies cases have already been confirmed in the Nebraska Panhandle, all involving skunks. Dr. Brandi Chytka (KIT-ca) of Oshkosh Animal Repair has arranged for two different doctors to talk about how rabies affects animals and humans in a meeting scheduled for tonight at 6:30 in the south gym at Garden County High School.

Chytka says tonight's meeting is for both city and rural residents since in-town pets can be just as much at risk for rabies as pets and livestock in the country.

Rabies cases tend to run in cyclical patterns, peaking every 5-to-7 years. There were 104 cases in 2004, but only 31 in 2007. The number jumped to 90 in 2009, then fell to 53 in 2010 and only 35 last year. At the current pace, this year's total will top 90.