Pet Corner
Rabies
Q: Increased media attention concerning Rabies has raised my concern about the disease in our area. How can I protect my pets and my family from this disease?
A: It is true that diagnosed cases of the rabies virus have increased in Texas over the past few years. In fact, there has been a 32% increase in the number of cases in 1999 over 1998. Rabies is a very publicized disease because it can be transmitted from animals to humans and can cause human fatalities.
Routine rabies vaccination of household pets is the best way to prevent the disease. In Texas it is required by law that a dog, cat or ferret be rabies vaccinated yearly beginning at three months of age. Furthermore, a rabies vaccine must be administered under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
In addition to vaccinating, it is important to realize which wild animals are at the highest risk of carrying the rabies virus in order to protect pets and family members from the disease. The most common vectors of the rabies virus are skunks, bats, foxes, raccoons, feral dogs and cats, and other wild mammals. Opossums are marsupials not mammals and thus can not carry the rabies virus.
If you or your pet is bitten by a wild animal or even a neighbor's pet, quickly wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Immediately seek a doctor's care and report the bite to your local animal control agency.
