It seems like a good time to talk about Rabies, with the increasing number of wildlife exposures we have seen lately. Rabies is a viral disease transmitted by mammals to other mammals via bodily secretions. The most common means of transmission is through saliva, by which exposure is usually through a bite wound. It is recommended that all pets be vaccinated for Rabies, and livestock as well in endemic areas(where there are a significant number of rabid animals each year). Rabies vaccination is important for your pet because if an unvaccinated animal contracts rabies it is always fatal- your pet will die from it. There is also the public health concern, anyone exposed to an animal with rabies must receive the post-exposure vaccination series. This is a painful series of shots usually given in the abdomen. Animal health workers and veterinarians should receive the pre-exposure vaccine series early in their careers, and have titers monitored periodically over the years. This means if we are exposed, we just receive a booster vaccine vs. the whole series.
If your pet is bitten by a wild animal or another animal, they are potentially at risk for exposure. If the wild animal can be caught or killed, the health department will perform testing on the head to confirm the Rabies status of the animal. If the animal is not available to be tested, and your pet is vaccinated, the sheriff will put your pet under quarantine. This quarantine can be at home or at an approved facility, is up to the sheriff and dependent on the facilities available. This quarantine usually lasts 10 days, but may be adjusted under different circumstances. If your animal is not vaccinated for Rabies and is bitten by a wild animal, again the sheriff becomes involved, but this time the pet can be euthanized and tested for rabies or put under a strict quarantine that can last up to 180 days. By law, we as veterinarians are required to report any suspected wild animal bites we see in pets.
It is definitely in your pets' best interest to be vaccinated against Rabies as soon as possible in life, which is at four months of age. Both cats and dogs should be vaccinated. The first Rabies vaccine is good for one year, and subsequent vaccines are good for three years in Colorado. In some states with a higher incidence of rabies the vaccine is only valid legally for one year. Here on the western slope, we do not have terrestrial Rabies- which is to say it is not an endemic disease in our walking wild animals. Bat Rabies does exist, however. On the eastern slope, terrestrial Rabies is a concern. Many of you may remember the Rabies outbreak near Black Forest last summer which affected several people and animals, and was eventually linked to a horse that had been bitten by a skunk. In conclusion, protect your pets, use caution around wild animals, and contact us if you have any questions or concerns. You can also watch the following video produced by the American Veterinary Medical Association for more information.
If your pet is bitten by a wild animal or another animal, they are potentially at risk for exposure. If the wild animal can be caught or killed, the health department will perform testing on the head to confirm the Rabies status of the animal. If the animal is not available to be tested, and your pet is vaccinated, the sheriff will put your pet under quarantine. This quarantine can be at home or at an approved facility, is up to the sheriff and dependent on the facilities available. This quarantine usually lasts 10 days, but may be adjusted under different circumstances. If your animal is not vaccinated for Rabies and is bitten by a wild animal, again the sheriff becomes involved, but this time the pet can be euthanized and tested for rabies or put under a strict quarantine that can last up to 180 days. By law, we as veterinarians are required to report any suspected wild animal bites we see in pets.
It is definitely in your pets' best interest to be vaccinated against Rabies as soon as possible in life, which is at four months of age. Both cats and dogs should be vaccinated. The first Rabies vaccine is good for one year, and subsequent vaccines are good for three years in Colorado. In some states with a higher incidence of rabies the vaccine is only valid legally for one year. Here on the western slope, we do not have terrestrial Rabies- which is to say it is not an endemic disease in our walking wild animals. Bat Rabies does exist, however. On the eastern slope, terrestrial Rabies is a concern. Many of you may remember the Rabies outbreak near Black Forest last summer which affected several people and animals, and was eventually linked to a horse that had been bitten by a skunk. In conclusion, protect your pets, use caution around wild animals, and contact us if you have any questions or concerns. You can also watch the following video produced by the American Veterinary Medical Association for more information.
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