Every family should be aware that rabies is on the rise in New England. Our state of New Hampshire alone diagnosed 59 cases in wild life and domestic animals in 2008, which does not include the probable hundreds of infected wild life that died unidentified. Pets going outdoors are at high risk for exposure to rabies-infected wild life. Indoor pets can also have potential exposure from wild life such as bats and raccoons which can appear in homes as well.
Rabies is caused by a rhabdovirus that can only live in mammals, which are warm-blooded animals with fur. It is transmitted through saliva, from the sick animal usually into a bite wound or onto mucous membranes. From there the virus attaches to a nerve, multiplies, and then eventually migrates to the brain and salivary glands where it causes brain swelling and excessive salivation. At this time the animal becomes noticeably sick, and dies within 1-10 days. Currently vaccinated animals are usually well protected but over 99% of unvaccinated animals die once infected with the virus, between 2 weeks to 12 months of the bite incident or exposure.
Approximately 55,000 people die each year from rabies, averaging one death every 10 minutes. The majority of these cases occur in Asia, Africa, and South America. Over 50% of the deaths are children less than 15 years old. Travelers in these regions who are bitten by animals should report to a hospital immediately for rabies treatment. Fortunately this no longer means multiple painful abdominal injections, but can usually be done with a couple of immunogobulin injections near the bite wound and a vaccination.
Animals with rabies can act aggressive and bite, but they more commonly are sluggish, timid, and frequently have trouble swallowing. Just getting the saliva on you is often enough to cause a rabies infection. If you see an animal acting abnormal, especially nocturnal animals out during the day, please contact your local animal control officer, fish and game warden, or the Elaine Connors Center for Wildlife to get assistance with handling the animal. Do not approach sick wildlife yourself. Currently the only way to test an animal for rabies is by examining the brain and therefore can only be done on dead animals.
Prevention is the best way to protect your family and your pets from rabies. Spay and neuter your pets to make them less apt to roam and find wildlife. Keep trash covered and protected from wildlife. Keep your pets current on their rabies vaccines. Rabies is required by law for all dogs, cats, and ferrets. These are the mammals most likely to become exposed to rabies and potentially bite people. This law evolved not only for your pets' protection, but to protect your family as well, because rabies kills mammals. If your pet is not currently rabies vaccinated and bites someone, the pet must either be euthanized and tested, or be quarantined in the home for 6 months away from people and pets. All farm animals should be vaccinated for rabies. Being housed outdoors puts them at a high risk for rabies exposure. Vaccinating your animals protects not only them, but also your family.
Veterinarians occasionally offer rabies vaccination clinics as a means of making rabies vaccination more affordable. The goal of these clinics is mass rabies vaccination for public health purposes. At this time there is no public funding to support the efforts; they are provided solely by veterinarians, usually at their own expense.
Rabies is not a disease to take lightly. Please be sure to keep your animals up to date on vaccinations. This reduces risk to your animals, your family, and to the community around you.
should be given on a monthly basis at least through the mosquito season.
