Rabies! What is It?
" Find Out Now!"
Protect Your Family and Your Pets
Rabies
is
a disease caused by a virus that is found in the saliva of infected
animals. Most animals can be infected by the rabies virus. Most common
animals to be infected with rabies are bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes
dogs and cats. Rabies may also spread through exposure to domestic
farm animals and other wild carnivores. Squirrels and rabbits and
rodents are less likely to contract the disease.
It is transmitted to your pet and humans by a bite or possibly through
an open cut. Bats migrate from Mexico and arrive in our area of Utah
around the end of March. We had 5 bats that tested positive for rabies
last year.
The bat can become sick from the rabies and fall to the ground, your
child or pet investigates this small creature crawling about and then
they get bit. If the child tells you about the bite, it is important
that the bat be found and contained so it can be sent to the lab for
rabies testing. Call your local animal control or police department. Immediately cleanse the wound thoroughly with soapy water. See your doctor right away and inform him of the exposure.
The bite from a bat is so small and hard to detect on a human!
If you feel there is a chance of exposure seek medical advise.
Untreated rabies can cause a painful death. It is imperative that
treatment is started immediately.
How Can "YOU PREVENT RABIES"?
- MOST IMPORTANT! Have your pets vaccinated against rabies. Your veterinarian can do this.
- Protect your children by warning them of dangers of being around stray domestic animals and wildlife
- Keep your pets from running loose prohibiting them from coming in contact with stray or wild animals
- Do not feed or handle wild animals, especially those that appear sick
- Never keep a wild animal as a pet
- Report stray animals to your local animal control department or health department
- If your dog or cat has been bitten or scratched by another animal, domestic or wild.
Report it immediately!
- A wild animal such as a bat, raccoon, skunk, fox or groundhog which has bitten a person or a domestic animal should be immediately
caught and euthanized. Its head (or in the case of a bat, the entire
bat) should be submitted to your local laboratory for testing of
rabies.
- Depending
on your local animal ordinances, any dog or cat that the owner can not
be located and is considered a stray needs to be quarantined. In some
cases it would be imperative to have the stray animal euthanized and
its head sent in for testing for rabies.
- If your cat or dog has bitten another person or animal report it!
- If
you or your pet have been bitten by a stray animal it is important to
have a detailed description of the animal and if the owner is known,
the owners name, address and telephone number.
Minimize Your Risks
- Eliminate areas around your house and property that can be used by animals for sleeping or bearing young.
- Block holes in foundations, porches, under steps, eaves and sheds.
- Bat
proof your yard and home. Any hole the size of a dime needs to be
patched with wood or metal (they can eat their way through almost
anything else). And don't forget to screen your chimney. Once they are
in you will have to hire an exterminator to have them removed or wait
until October when they return to Mexico. If you live in an area where
they live all year long then contact an exterminator.
- Do
not leave pet food or any other food outside unattended by you as this
encourages them to enter your property. It is actually best to feed
your pets inside.
- Keep your garbage cans in your garage or shed, this removes any temptation by strays or wild life.
- If
you have a garden it will attract unwanted wildlife. Think of ways to
make your garden less attractive such as a low voltage electric fence
or find herbs or flowers that most wildlife do not like the smell.
Please Feel Free To Contact Us if you have other concerns or questions
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