Rabies is a
deadly disease!
You can protect yourself.
Here’s how..
Rabies is a deadly disease caused
by a virus that attacks the nervous system. The rabies virus lives in
the saliva and brain tissue of infected animals. The virus is not in the
blood, urine or feces. When the virus reaches the brain, the animal
dies. An infected mammal has the virus in its saliva and can pass the
deadly disease to humans through a bite or scratch before it dies. You
can protect yourself. Here’s how..
Protect yourself and your family from rabies:
- Avoid contact with all wild animals. Never
attempt to feed or handle any wild animal, especially raccoons,
foxes or bats. Mice, rats and squirrels, however, usually do not
carry rabies.
- Stay away from stray animals, especially cats and
dogs. Stay away from other people’s pet cats or dogs. You never know
if they’ve been properly vaccinated for rabies.
- Keep wild animals out of your home. Secure doors
and windows and close off any openings under porches.
- Secure trash and any pet food stored outdoors in
animal-proof containers to avoid attracting wild or stray animals.
- Do not touch or pick up dead animals.
Protect your pets from rabies
- Have your animals vaccinated, including dogs, cats,
ferrets and certain livestock.
- Confine your animals to your property. Pets that
are allowed to roam are at higher risk for rabies exposure from other
infected animals.
- Never feed pets outdoors. Keep the area around your
home free of table scraps and outdoor bowls of pet food. Food left
outdoors will attract stray or wild animals.
- Act on any attack or bite suffered by your pet. Do
not touch the attacking animal. Do not touch your pet with your bare
hands. Contact your veterinarian. A rabies booster can help protect
your pet. Your exposed unvaccinated pet could become a threat to your
family. Report the attack to Animal Care and Control (561) 233-1200.
Know what to do if you are bitten by a wild or stray
animal or by a pet:
- Wash the wound thoroughly with warm soapy water.
Rabies is spread mainly through bites, but the rabies virus can also
be spread through scratches from an infected animal or when infected
saliva or brain tissue comes in contact with open wounds, skin breaks
or mucous membranes.
- If the animal is wild or stray, confine it if
possible. Call Animal Care and Control (561) 233-1200. Kill the animal
only as a last resort, but do not damage its head. The animal’s brain
tissue may be tested for the rabies virus.
- If the animal is a pet, get the owner’s name and
address and ask for proof of rabies vaccination. All pets suspected of
rabies must be confined for 10 days of observation. Report bite to
Animal Care and Control (561) 233-1200.
- Call your physician at once. A physician can
determine if you need rabies shots. If you do not have a physician,
you should be seen in an emergency room for evaluation and possible
treatment. Treatment usually involves a total of 5 shots of safe and
effective rabies vaccine in the arm given over several weeks and one
shot of Human Rabies Immune Globulin (HRIG) given immediately. The
modern series of rabies shots involves little if any discomfort.
Know about bats and rabies:
- Bats can be dangerous carriers of rabies because
their bite or scratch may be too small to notice. A bat’s teeth and
claws are so small that a bite may not bleed or even hurt. In fact,
people sleeping in the same room where a bat is found, or children who
have been alone in a room with a bat, should see a doctor or call Palm
Beach County Health Department, Epidemiology & Disease Control (561)
840-4566.
- If you have to capture a bat in your home, do not
touch the bat. Wear thick gloves to protect yourself. Contact Animal
Care and Control (561) 233-1200.
- Any live or dead bat that may have had contact with
a person should be tested for rabies. If the test results are positive
for rabies, the bat cannot be found, or has escaped, see a doctor as
soon as possible or call Palm Beach County Health Department,
Epidemiology & Disease Control (561) 840-4566 for evaluation and
possible treatment.
Know the signs of rabies in wild or stray animals, and in pets:
- The animal may become shy or hide or be unusually
approachable.
- The animal may become excitable, irritable and
aggressive. At times it may seem confused and calm, but suddenly
attack when approached.
- The animal may lose all caution for natural
enemies.
- Animals that are usually active at night may be
active during daytime, as with rabid raccoons.
- The animal may exhibit staggering, weakness,
paralysis, inability to eat or drink, drooling or frothing at the
mouth, and convulsions..
From the Palm Beach County
Child Fatality Review and Prevention Project (CFR).
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