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Rabies
Infection and Animals
What
is rabies?
Rabies is
a disease caused by the rabies virus. It may take several weeks or even
a few years for people to show symptoms after getting infected with rabies,
but usually people start to show signs of the disease 1 to 3 months after
the virus infects them. The early signs of rabies can be fever or headache,
but this changes quickly to nervous system signs, such as confusion, sleepiness,
or agitation. Once someone with rabies infection starts having these symptoms,
that person usually does not survive. This is why it is very important
to talk to your doctor or health care provider right away if any animal
bites you, especially a wild animal.
Can animals
transmit rabies to me?
Yes, many
kinds of animal can pass rabies to people. Wild animals are much more
likely to carry rabies, especially raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and
coyotes. However, dogs, cats, cattle (cows), or any warm-blooded animal
can pass rabies to people. People usually get rabies from the bite of
an infected animal. Many animals, such as dogs, cats, and horses are vaccinated
against rabies, but you should always wash any bite thoroughly and check
with your health care provider about what to do if any animal bites you.
How can
I protect myself from getting rabies?
Be a responsible
pet owner:
- Keep
vaccinations up to date for all dogs, cats, and ferrets. This requirement
is important not only to keep your pets from getting rabies, but also
to provide a barrier of protection for you, if your animal is bitten
by a rabid wild animal.
- Keep
your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with
wild animals. If your pet is bitten by a wild animal, seek veterinary
assistance for the animal immediately.
- Call
your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your
neighborhood. They may be unvaccinated and could be infected by the
disease.
- Spay
or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that
may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
Avoid
direct contact with unfamiliar animals:
- Enjoy
wild animals (raccoons, skunks, foxes) from afar. Do not handle,
feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans
or litter.
- Never
adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse
sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency
for assistance.
- Teach
children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic,
even if they appear friendly. "Love your own, leave other animals
alone" is a good principle for children to learn.
- Prevent
bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches,
schools, and other similar areas, where they might come in contact with
people and pets.
- When
traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be especially
careful around dogs in developing countries. Rabies is common in developing
countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America where dogs are the major
reservoir of rabies. Tens of thousands of people die of rabies each
year in these countries. Before traveling abroad, consult with a health
care provider, travel clinic, or your health department about the risk
of exposure to rabies, preexposure prophylaxis, and how you should handle
an exposure, should it arise.
How can
I find out more about rabies?
Learn more
about rabies at CDC's Rabies
site, and
Rabies Kids Rabies Home Page which includes questions and answers,
prevention and control information, and more.
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