Rabies and you

Most counties offer free rabies clinics at least twice a year... there is no excuse for not keeping your pet current! Call your local animal control office to learn when your County is offering free rabies clinics.

RABIES FACTS 101

Rabies in the USA is rare compared to other countries due to the strict mandatory vaccinations the government has imposed for our pets.

There is no known cure for rabies, either in human beings or animals. If you suspect rabies, do not touch them!

The only test for rabies is to test the brain tissue. There is no blood test! Generally, the symptoms of rabies are complex and only a close observation of a suspected animal can determine if the animal is rabid. The only positive test is a microscopic examination of the brain tissue of the suspected rabid animal.

The most common Rabies vectors are foxes, raccoons, bats, and skunks. The buffer between rabies and humans is making sure that our pets are vaccinated and remain current. If your animal does not have a current rabies vaccination and has been exposed to the rabies virus, the State recommends that your pet should be destroyed. If your pet is current on it's rabies vaccination at the time of exposure, it only will need a booster within 72 hours after exposure.

Rabies is caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system. The rabies virus is present in the saliva of the infected animal and it can be passed with any area on the skin that is broken that comes in contact with the saliva. It's true that you don't have to be bitten to be exposed to rabies.

The rabies virus has a complex life. In the final stage, the virus has reached the brain of the host. During this period the virus is shedding and that's when it is contagious to most warm blooded mammals.

There are two types of symptoms of rabies: 1) a highly excitable, raging type, in which the dog runs amok, snapping and biting any person or animal in its path, and 2) a dumb type, in which the dog appears to be stunned or in a state of shock. In the dumb form of rabies the dog shows no inclination to roam or bite. A classical symptom of the dumb form of rabies is what may be called "fallen jaw." The dog's mouth hangs open several inches. Any dog that has something stuck in his mouth or throat will usually open his mouth. But if an obstruction is the main trouble, the dog will paw and scratch at his mouth. In the case of "fallen jaw" associated with rabies, the dog makes no attempt to dislodge anything or paw at his mouth. He just sits staring, with his mouth hanging open.

Other symptoms of rabies are convulsions, foaming at the mouth, a change in the voice pitch and paralysis of the throat muscles. The rabid animal becomes very thirsty, but because of the throat paralysis, cannot drink water or other liquids. This inability to drink has given rise to the erroneous name of hydrophobia—a fear of water. It is not a fear of water, it is an inability to drink water.

The rabies virus is shed through the host's saliva. The infected host will drool as the virus progresses. The throat becomes paralyzed as the host can no longer eat, drink, or swallow. It will also display signs of drunk like or usual behavior. The host is always dead within 10 days of shedding the virus, once the virus reaches the brain. The rabid animal is only contagious during this ten day period.

There are three primary routes of transmission of the rabies virus, which is carried in the saliva of the infected animal: 1) the primary route of transmission is through a bite which breaks the skin of the victim, 2) salivary contact to an open, fresh wound, or, 3) saliva contact to the mucous membranes of a potential victim. Please maintain a current rabies vaccination for your pet; this is the primary defense against the spread of this fatal disease.

When dealing with primary rabies vectors (raccoons, foxes, skunks, and bats), it is recommended that the animal be handled with protective gloves to prevent viral transmission. Personal pets should not be handled without protection directly after being exposed to wildlife, due the potential for carrying residual saliva from the infected animal. You should stay away from any animal that you have not been cleared to hold or pet, including owned dogs or cats, and especially wildlife. Feeding wildlife is ill advised. Prevention is better than reaction after the fact of exposure.

WHAT IF MY PET HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO RABIES?

If your pet is unlucky enough to have come across a rabid animal, it can take up to 6 months before your pet starts shedding the virus and becomes contagious/rabid.

Call animal control immediately so that they may catch the rabid animal that came in contact with your pet. They will send it off to the state lab for testing. Seek medical attention immediately if the animal is confirmed rabid and you have been exposed to the rabid animal or you have touched your exposed pet without protective clothing. Positive results are always known within 24 hours after exposure. You may need post exposure treatment.

Animal control must seize all animals that have been exposed that do not have a current rabies vaccination at the time of exposure. At the owners expense, animal control may hold them for six months or destroy them as recommended by the State. All pet's that aren't current at the time of exposure pose a serious threat to public health.

Animals that have a current rabies vaccination at the time of exposure should be re-boosted within 72 hours of exposure.

Do not handle your pet after exposure without protective clothing! Take care to cover all of your skin and mucous membranes. Wear gloves and protect your eyes.

Give your exposed pets a warm bath immediately after exposure.

DON'T FORGET TO WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING BEFORE HANDLING YOUR PET!

Use warm water and soap to wash away residual saliva. Dispose of all contaminated objects (soap, clothing) in a safe place after cleaning up.

Quarantine all exposed pets in a area away from any of your unexposed animals, until animal control responds.

If you were bitten by a rabid animal, wash the area with warm soapy water for 20-30 minutes... Taking care to run the warm water over the wound. Begin this immediately after the bite has occurred. Seek medical attention immediately following your clean up.. be sure to change and dispose of your clothes so that you don't expose anyone else.

LESS KNOWN FACTS

Animals can carry Rabies in their system for up to 6 months prior to shedding the virus! If you noticed bite wounds on your pet, SIX MONTHS LATER it can break with rabies. The time it takes to shed usually depends on the area of entry from the wound site. It depends on how long the virus takes to reach the brain. For example if the entry site was on the neck it wouldn't have to travel far to get to the brain as it would if it was bitten on the foot.

If your animal has come in contact with a rabid animal and your pet is not current on it's rabies vaccinations, you have two options. The first is that you can opt to destroy your pet, the second option is that you can pay it to be boarded at your Vet or Animal Control for 6 months (at your expense) to watch it for signs of rabies. Keep in mind though that most Veterinarians will opt not to board exposed pets, due to the risk to it's staff.

The current cost for boarding your pet at Animal Control for this length of time will cost you about 2,700.00 per exposed pet. This rate is a ball park estimate and Animal Control generally has lower rates than most Veterinarians.

Most people don't think about this, but even if your pet is only a day late and the next day becomes exposed to the virus, your pet is suddenly a exposed case not current with it rabies vaccinations. Don't be fooled, it does happen more often than most people know, and it can happen to you and your pet. What if you don't have the money to board your pet(s) for the six month period... YOUR PET(s) WILL PAY WITH THEIR LIVES! I have seen several occasions where this has happened and a family has lost up to three pets at one time!

All pets between 4 and 6 months old  (ASK YOUR COUNTY) are required by law to be vaccinated against rabies.

What most don't know that your pet's very first vaccination isn't considered current by law until 30 days AFTER the vaccination. It takes 30 days for the initial vaccination to build up a immunity in the first time vaccinated animal. Be sure to keep your newly vaccinated pet away from other animals until they have had enough time to build up a immunity against the virus. If they become exposed to rabies virus before the 30 days is up.. they will not be current.

WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID THIS?

Don't ever let your pet's rabies vaccination run out.

Being a day early is always better than being a day late.

Keep good vaccination records.

Mark your calendar to bring them BEFORE the vaccination expires.

WHAT IF MY PET HAS BITTEN SOMEONE?

Animal Control will confine all companion animals that have bitten a person for 10 days to watch for signs of rabies. They will still confine "current" animals for the ten day period too. Remember, no vaccination is 100 percent!

Since all rabid animals die within 10 days of shedding the virus, if your pet dies during this 10 day period after having bitten someone, it's head will be sent off to the state lab for examination. Generally it comes back within 24 hours. If it comes back positive all of the people that were exposed go through the post exposure vaccinations.

Please take the time to watch these two links...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59CDZIc1cvM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC9i2k-fT4Y&feature=watch_response