How Can You Prevent Rabies ?

        Animals like dogs, bats, raccoons, foxes, skunks and cats pose the biggest threat of rabies transmission to man. However, rabies can also be contract through exposure to infected farm animals.

How Can You Prevent Rabies?

        It can be prevented by taking a few simple measures, which are listed below:

• Make sure that you vaccinate pets against rabies. In the last few years, rabies in cats has exceeded the number of rabies cases in dogs. Therefore, find out from your local health department whether they have vaccination clinics for cats and dogs. Or else, you can ask your vet to vaccinate your pet.
• Make sure you do not allow your pets to run loose. This will help to keep them away from stray animals, who could be potential carriers of rabies.
• If you pet has been bitten by a wild animal, make sure you inform the local health department and animal control immediately.
• If you see any stray animals in your neighborhood, make sure you inform the health department so that the animal control officer can check things out.
• Never feed wild animals, especially those that seem aggressive or sick.
• If a wild animal like bat, raccoon, fox, skunk or groundhog bites a person or pet, it should be immediately put down. Then the head of the animal should be submitted to the state testing laboratory for examination. The rabies vaccination will depend on the outcome of the examination.
• If your pet falls ill after being bitten by a stray or wild animal, make sure you immediately take it to your veterinarian.