Pet Talk: Vaccines are Key: Protect Your Pet from Rabies
Pet Talk: Vaccines are Key: Protect Your Pet from Rabies
Rabies is a dangerous disease that can harm animals, wildlife, and individuals. The good news is, many thanks to contemporary medicine, it is also conveniently preventable with inoculations and also liable pet ownership.
Dr. Katie McCool, a medical aide professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, discusses the most usual signs of rabies and what to do if you or a pet dog is bitten by a crazed animal.
“Rabies is an infection that is spread through contact with the saliva of infected animals, the majority of commonly with a bite from the contaminated pet,” McCool claimed. “In unusual cases, rabies also can be spread when contaminated saliva gets involved in an open wound or the mucous membrane layers, such as the mouth or eyes.”
Rabies can spread to any animals, including human beings, however not to birds, fish, reptiles, or amphibians. The virus is identified in pet cats greater than any other residential animal, yet it is most frequently seen in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, prairie wolves, and also foxes.
Rabies is shown with both physical and behavioral changes in a pet, including terror, aggressiveness, too much drooling, difficulty ingesting, trouble walking, as well as seizures.
Wild animals that have contracted rabies commonly approach human beings without concern and are seen wandering around in the daytime, even if they are generally nighttime. Animals revealing these habits need to be prevented and reported to a local pet control department immediately.
“We just rarely see rabies situations at the Texas A&M Small Animal Hospital, which is great news because rabies is a deadly condition when pets begin to reveal signs of infection,” McCool stated. “However, this illness is most definitely present in our area; there are records of rabies in our region every year, though these reports are largely wildlife, such as skunks and also bats.”
She suggests checking out the Texas Department of State Health Services webpage on rabies for more details on cases by region in Texas or the comparable website for other states.
While there is no treatment for rabies, the disease is completely preventable with vaccinations. Pet dogs, pet cats, ferrets, horses, and livestock can all be immunized against the rabies virus.
“Your veterinarian is a superb source of info regarding maintaining your family pets safe from rabies,” McCool claimed.
“Owners can likewise decrease the risk of exposure to rabies by limiting your animals’ contact with unvaccinated pets,” she claimed. “Keep pet cats and ferrets inside your home and also do not let your dogs roam free.”
If a family pet is bitten by a wild or unknown pet, call both a vet as well as neighborhood pet control authorities immediately. The family pet will certainly require to be revaccinated for rabies, maintained under quarantine, and observed for a details amount of time, relying on state and also city regulations.
Clean the injury with soap and also an anti-bacterial for at the very least 15 minutes if you or an additional individual is bitten by a thought rabid animal. Contact a medical professional for medical recommendations and also report the bite to the local health division.
McCool advises visiting the AVMA internet site “Rabies as well as Your Pet” to find out more.
Vaccinations are one of the most convenient ways to shield a dog, pet cat, or other family pet from rabies, while additionally lowering the transmission of a fatal disease that can damage wildlife as well as people. Inoculation is a vital component of responsible pet dog possession and also can help guarantee your animal lives a healthy and balanced and lengthy life.
Pet Talk is a solution of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the internet at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk. Recommendations for future topics might be routed to.