You are here: Home / Archives for Domestic Animal

Rabies still a problem in San Antonio, Montana

October 10, 2008 By Leave a Comment

An elderly man in San Antonio, Texas that feeds the stray cats, was bitten by a kitten that proved to carry Rabies. This is the second rabid cat in San Antonio this year. Rabies is carried by skunks, foxes, raccoons and bats in the wild and can cross over to domestic animal if not vaccinated. People must still be vigilant around wild animals and unvaccinated animals to ensure they do not get exposed to Rabies. Fourteen people in Texas have died from Rabies in the past 30 years.

See complete story here http://www.mysanantonio.com/health/30077809.html

Another Rabies story comes from Montana where a parent brought a dead bat to school and allowed the children to touch it. School officials took the bat and it tested positive for Rabies. Now all the kids that were exposed will have to take post exposure Rabies injections.

See complete story here http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081003/NEWS01/81003024

Yet one more story of Rabies involves some rescued animals brought back from Iraq. A labrador retriever puppy named Crusader, adopted by a soldier became ill shortly after arriving from Iraq. He was later euthanized and tested positive for Rabies. SPCA is now requiring rabies vaccinations 30 days before boarding planes and entering the United States.

Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/nyregion/03rabies.html?_r=2&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

World Rabies day was on September 28, the following is a prevention tips for pet owners.

Rabies – Prevention tips for Pet Owners

Basic facts
•    There are around 7,000 cases of animal rabies, mostly in wildlife species, reported in the U.S. every year.  These animals can expose humans or pets to rabies.
•    Cats are more likely to be infected with rabies than dogs! Probably because they are less likely to be vaccinated and may not be well supervised when outdoors.

Rabies prevention starts with the animal owner
•    All dogs, cats and ferrets should be vaccinated against rabies.  Consider vaccinating valuable livestock and horses.  Animals that have frequent contact with humans should be vaccinated.
•    You can reduce the possibility of your pets being exposed to rabies by not letting them roam free.
•    Spaying and neutering your pets may decrease undesirable behavior, like aggression and roaming.
•    Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals – even if they appear friendly.

Reduce the risk of exposure to rabies from wildlife
•    Don’t leave garbage or pet food outside, as it may attract wild or stray animals.
•    Wild animals should not be kept as pets.
•    Observe wild animals from a distance. Do not feed or handle them – even if they appear friendly.
•    If you see a wild animal acting strangely, report it to city or county animal control personnel.

What to do when your pet bites someone
•    Contact your local health department or local animal control.
•    A dog, cat or ferret that bites a human will need to be examined by a veterinarian.
•    The local public health official will require monitoring of the pet for 10 days, even if it is vaccinated.
•    Report promptly any illness or unusual behavior of your pet to your veterinarian.

What to do when your pet gets bitten by another animal
•    Consult your veterinarian immediately who will examine your pet and assess your pet’s vaccination needs.
•    Contact local animal control if your pet was bitten by a stray or wild animal.
•    If you can identify or safely capture the animal that bit your pet, this will help determine if your pet was exposed to rabies.
•    If your pet is currently vaccinated and possibly exposed to rabies, it will receive a booster vaccination and be subjected to close supervision for 45 days or more as specified by state law or local ordinance.
•    If a rabies-suspect or confirmed rabid animal bites your pet and your pet is not currently vaccinated, the only options are euthanasia (to prevent the development of rabies) or a strict 6 month quarantine (to see if your pet will develop rabies from this potential exposure).

What to do if you are bitten by an animal
•    Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water.
•    Contact your physician immediately.
•    Report the bite to the local health department to evaluate the need for rabies post exposure prophylaxis.
•    If you can identify or safely capture the animal, you may not need to have shots. Dogs, cats and ferrets can be observed for 10 days to see if they pose a risk of rabies exposure to you. Other animals may be tested for rabies although this requires euthanasia and testing of brain material.
•    Prompt and appropriate preventative treatment after being bitten and before the disease develops can stop rabies infection and prevent the disease.

Filed Under: Pet Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rabies – Controlling The Threat

July 31, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Rabies. Almost everyone knows how scary this disease is- because it is fatal to both people and pets. Most people believe that rabies is well under control due to vaccinations and regulations. But what you may not know is that every spring and summer, we see an emergence of rabies. Worse yet exposure to rabies can happen in your own backyard.

The reason rabies continues to be of concern each year is because of a “spillover” of the rabies virus that lives in the wildlife population. Spring and summer are the seasons when most wildlife is very active and on the move, and there is an increased exposure of our pets to wildlife – even if you live in the city. While it is true that the majority of rabies cases occur in wildlife, most exposure to humans occurs when they are bitten by a domestic animal that has been exposed to rabies. That is why current rabies vaccinations are so important for our pets.

The primary wildlife reservoir hosts are bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and wild dogs. These are also the wildlife that our pets are most likely to encounter. Some people are under the assumption that their pet is not exposed to wild life, but I have had 3 cases in the last month where the dog or cat picked up a bat that had fallen into to backyard or had flown into the house through the chimney. The primary hosts vary in different parts of the country. Keeping both dogs and cats vaccinated, and limiting your direct contact to wildlife is the best way to protect you and your pets from rabies. Rabies vaccination regulations also vary from state to state and your veterinarian is your best resource for rabies information.

Still, with all of the knowledge and vaccination protocols available, each year, there are rabies incidents reported in people, so it is important to know what to do if you think you may have been exposed to rabies. The rabies virus is usually transmitted in the saliva through a bite. Everyone should consider ANY animal bite – whether from wildlife or pets – as an emergency and get prompt medical attention. Animal bites should also be reported to your local animal control so that proper quarantine measures can be taken if necessary.

To enjoy the videos on our site please download the latest flash plugin.

Any wildlife animal that bites a person or pet will be euthanized and tested for rabies immediately. But what if the bite is from a domestic animal? If a person or pet is bitten and the dog or cat is vaccinated and appears healthy at the time of the bite, the pet can be confined by its owner for ten days and observed. No anti-rabies shots would be required. Unvaccinated pets may be required to be euthanized and tested. If the owner is unwilling to do this, the pets must be quarantined for six months and vaccinated before release. If a vaccinated pet is bitten by a rabies suspect, the pet must be kept under observation for 45 days.

The reason for these time periods is due to the incubation time of the rabies virus in the host. Studies show that unless the virus is shed in the saliva, it is not transmitted. Only late in the disease when the virus has reached the brain and caused an encephalitis does the virus shed in the saliva and therefore able to be transmitted. Most of the signs are very obvious within three to five days of the quarantine and observation period.

Rabies vaccination for your pets – dogs and cats – is still the number one prevention you can take. Keep proper rabies and identification tags on your pets at all times. Always maintain control of your pets, and have them spayed or neutered to help reduce the number of stray animals in your community. Report any stray or wildlife animals to your local animal control. Do not try to capture an animal yourself. Consider any stray animal as a rabies risk.

Filed Under: Pet Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Switch to our mobile site