Northern Kentucky Health Department
Rabies
Rabies
is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the
bite of a rabid animal and affecting the central nervous system of mammals,
including humans.
How rabies is spread
How to spot rabies symptoms in
pets
How to prevent rabies in humans
How to prevent rabies in pets
What to do
if you think you have been exposed rabies
Rabies treatments
More information
How rabies is spread
Most often, rabies is spread
to humans through the bite of an infected animal. It is possible, but rare, for
humans to be exposed to rabies through infected material from a rabid animal,
such as saliva, without being bitten. If the saliva gets into a person’s eyes,
nose, mouth or wound, infection can occur.
How to spot rabies symptoms in
pets
Animals may
exhibit any of the following if they are infected with rabies:
·
A
change in behavior
·
General sickness
·
Problems swallowing
·
Increased drooling
·
Aggression
How to prevent rabies in humans
Be
safe when interacting with wildlife:
·
Do
not handle, feed or intentionally attract wild animals with open garbage can or
litter
·
Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home
·
Teach children to never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic
-
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 or pets.
·
When
traveling abroad, avoid direct contact with wild animals and be especially
careful around dogs in developing countries.
How to prevent rabies in pets
Be a responsible
pet owner:
·
Keep
vaccinations up-to-date for all dogs, cats and ferrets
·
Keep
your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild
animals.
·
Call
your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your
neighborhood
·
Spay
or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be
properly cared for or regularly vaccinated.
What to do if
you think you have been exposed to rabies
If
you have been bitten, scratched or exposed to an animal’s saliva:
·
Wash the wound
right away with soap and water for 10 minutes.
·
Call your
doctor or go to a hospital emergency room depending on the severity of the
wound.
·
Get a
description of the animal that bit or scratched you or, if possible, confine the
animal so it can be quarantined or tested.
·
Contact the
local animal control officer if it is a stray or wild animal for assistance.
·
Contact your
local health department as soon as possible so steps can be taken to quarantine
the animal or submit it for testing if warranted.
Rabies treatments
·
A vaccination
is available to people who have already been exposed to an animal that tested
positive for rabies or is unavailable for testing and it is nearly 100 percent
successful in preventing rabies in humans.
·
Pre-exposure
vaccination is available for people who are at high risk for a rabies exposure
such as veterinarians, laboratory personnel and animal control personnel.
Most
rabies fatalities have occurred when people fail to seek prompt medical
assistance or are unaware of the exposure. When left untreated, rabies can cause
encephalopathy and death. Death can occur within days of the onset of symptoms.
More information
If you feel that
you may have contracted rabies or have come in contact with an animal that may
be infected with rabies, contact your doctor and your local health department.
If you live in
Northern Kentucky, please contact the Northern Kentucky Health Department’s
Environmental Health and Safety office at 859.341.4151.
For more
information online, please visit
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Kentucky Department for Public Health
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