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Rabies · Rabies signs & symptoms · Rabies diagnosis · Rabies treatment · Rabies related articles
If you think your pet has been bitten or exposed to a rabid animal, contact your veterinarian. If your pet has been vaccinated, it will be quarantined for 10 days but treatment will not include revaccination. If the pet is sick, it will be euthanized and the head submitted for analysis.
Humans can be treated with an immediate series of vaccines, and they will sometimes be saved. One woman survived after physicians induced a coma. She was bitten by a bat in a Church in September of 2004, developed symptoms in October, and doctors induced a coma to stop the disease from spreading. With this one exception, humans who have not been previously vaccinated or who have not received immediate vaccination have not survived.
To protect yourself, don’t handle or feed wildlife. Don’t let your pet chase or investigate wildlife.
The Rabies vaccine (the Rabies shot): To protect your pet medically and legally, have it vaccinated by your veterinarian. If you give the vaccine yourself, the law does not recognize your pet as having been vaccinated. In many communities, the Rabies vaccine is coupled with the requirement to obtain a license for your pet. Unfortunately, some communities require yearly vaccination although the pet is protected for more than one year by many vaccines. These communities are doing this to ensure that pets have annual licenses. Some veterinarians are helping pets avoid immune damage caused by over-vaccination by drawing titers to show the pet has a protective level of antibodies to the rabies virus.
The Rabies vaccine, or the rabies shot is required for dogs, cats, ferrets who are traveling on Interstate transport. Rabies certificates are also required when traveling outside the US . Most Canadian border crossing staff accept rabies vaccine titers in lieu of a vaccine certificate.
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Duration of rabies vaccine immunity depending upon which vaccine is used.
- Dogs 1-3 years
- Cats 1-3 years
- Ferrets 1 year
- Horses 1 year
- Cattle 1 year
- Sheep 1-3 years
There is no legal injectible vaccine for wildlife and wolves or wolf-hybrids. Some state and federal agencies can legally vaccinate wildlife with oral vaccines.
How we normally vaccinate for Rabies |
| Pet: Dogs, Cats, Ferrets |
Initial Vaccination:
Protection begins in 28 days |
1st Booster Vaccination:
Protection begins immediatley |
2nd Booster Vaccination:
Protection begins immediatley |
| A puppy, kitten or young ferret |
initial rabies vaccine at minimum 3 months of age |
1 year later |
1 or 3 years later, depends upon type of vaccine and local laws |
| Pet of any age with unknown vaccination history |
vaccinate immediately or when reaches at least 3 months of age |
1 year later |
1 or 3 yr later, depends upon type of vaccine and local laws |
What is normally done if an animal bites a human |
| Type of pet |
Observation/Quarantine/Euthanasia |
Vaccination |
| Healthy dog, cat or ferret |
10 day isolation and observation |
Don’t give rabies vaccine |
| Sick dog, cat or ferret |
Euthanize, submit head to authorities |
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| Stray dog, cat or ferret |
Euthanize, submit head to authorities |
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What is normally done if animals are exposed to Rabies |
| Type of animal |
Observation/Quarantine/Euthanasia |
Vaccination |
| Currently vaccinated pet or livestock |
Isolation with owner for 45 days |
Give rabies vaccine immediately |
| Pets or livestock whose vaccine coverage has lapsed |
Case by case |
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| Unvaccinated pets, livestock, wildlife |
Euthanize, submit head to authorities or strict quarantine for 6 months |
Vaccinate for rabies at entry to quarantine and again 1 month before exit |
Stray dog, cat or ferret |
Euthanize, submit head to authorities |
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Detailed information is available from the Center for Disease Control.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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Drooling (ptylism)Inability to eat or swallowChange in behavior to either aggression or fearfulness and hiding |
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Rabies is spread through saliva or infected tissues, especially the brainBats, raccoons, skunks, foxes carry rabiesBy law, a rabies vaccination must be given under direct supervision of a veterinarian |
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Pets living at the interface of urban & rural areas are the most likely to get rabies
As homes are built in these outlaying areas, pets have contact with rabid coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks and bats |
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