Saturday is World Rabies Day! This day is meant to raise awareness of the effects rabies has on human and animal health.
Rabies is almost always fatal when contracted, but it is 100% preventable! All you have to do is vaccinate! At House Paws we encourage every pet owner to keep their pets vaccinated for rabies. Even indoor-only pets are at risk.
What is Rabies?
It’s a contagious virus that affects humans and animals, causing madness and convulsions. Rabies is spread through saliva, and it is most often contracted through an animal bite – although sometimes rabies can be spread when infected saliva contacts an open wound. The animals that are most likely to spread rabies in the U.S. include raccoons, bats, coyotes, foxes, and skunks. We have all of these animals here in MN!Rabies is almost always fatal when contracted, but it is 100% preventable! All you have to do is vaccinate! At House Paws we encourage every pet owner to keep their pets vaccinated for rabies. Even indoor-only pets are at risk.
Here are some other ways you can prevent exposure to the rabies virus:
- Supervise your pets when they are outdoors.
- Don't leave exposed garbage or food outside, because it can attract wild animals.
- Don't keep wild animals as pets. Feral cats are at high risk of having rabies. Always have a veterinarian examine a feral cat and vaccinate it before you bring the cat into your home.
- Never handle a wild animal and observe all wild animals from a distance. Contrary to popular belief, animals that have been affected by the rabies virus may act normal.
- If you see an animal acting strangely, report it to your local animal control.
- Bat-proof your home! Bats are one of the primary causes of rabies exposure to indoor animals.
