Rabies
Is there any treatment for rabies?
There is no treatment for rabies once a person or animal
shows signs of the disease, and death is inevitable.
How is rabies prevented?
There are vaccines available for most domestic animals that
are effective in preventing rabies should they be exposed to an
animal with rabies. These vaccines should be administered by
a licensed veterinarian, and boosters given as recommended
by the vaccine manufacturer. Any type of animal for which a
licensed vaccine exists should be vaccinated, and these
include dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, cows, sheep, and goats. If
you think your pet or livestock may have been exposed to a rabid
animal, report it to your veterinarian.
In humans, rabies can be prevented by reducing your exposure
to un-vaccinated animals, unfamiliar animals, and wild or exotic
animals for which vaccines do not exist. In the case of
exposure to a potentially rabid animal, there is a Post Exposure
Prophylaxis (PEP) treatment which, when administered
appropriately, can prevent the disease in exposed persons.
There is no PEP treatment available for animals.
Is there a rabies vaccine for people?
There are rabies vaccines available for use in people. In most
cases, they are used as part of the PEP treatment for people
exposed to potentially rabid animals. Persons in high-risk
occupations such as veterinarians and animal control officers,
or some people traveling overseas, may have a "pre-exposure"
series of vaccines in order to induce immunity to the rabies
virus. In the case of future exposure to a rabid animal, fewer
doses of vaccine are required for PEP.
What is Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)?
PEP is the treatment given to people exposed to potentially or
known rabid animals. Guidelines for PEP have been developed
by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),
and include one dose of rabies immune globulin, and a series
of 5 doses of rabies vaccine given over a 28 day period. Rabies
immune globulin is made up of antibodies to the rabies virus,
and is injected into the site of the bite from the animal. The
vaccine is administered in the muscle of the arm. There has
never been a case of rabies in a person who has received PEP
administered in accordance with the ACIP recommended
guidelines.
Will rabies vaccine make me sick?
Rabies vaccine is made from killed rabies virus, and cannot
cause rabies. The vaccine is no more painful than any other
type of vaccination, and side effects are similar to those seen
with other vaccines, and can include pain, redness, itching, and
swelling at the site of the vaccination. Localized pain and a
fever can sometimes follow a rabies immune globulin
injection. Most side effects can be managed with an anti-
inflammatory medication such as acetaminophen. As with any
vaccine, some individuals can experience more serious side
effects, and a physician should be consulted if this occurs. If
you experience an unusual reaction to any vaccine, ask your
health care provider to report it to the Vaccine Adverse Event
Reporting System (VAERS). You can also report it yourself by
calling 1-800-822-7967, or visiting their website at www.vaers.
org.
What should I do if I think I may have been exposed to rabies?
It is important to first thoroughly cleanse any wound caused by
an animal with soap and water. Next, you should immediately
seek medical attention. Appropriate wound care, including
antibiotics, and the need for a tetanus booster will be
determined by your health care provider. Animal bites must be
reported to local health authorities for appropriate follow-up and
determination of the need for PEP. If possible, the animal
should be safely confined or collected until the need for rabies
testing has been determined. Determining that an animal is
negative for rabies infection can make PEP treatment
unnecessary.
Are bats more likely to have rabies than other mammals?
Bats are the species of animal most often found to be positive
for rabies in Michigan. In general, the rate of rabies in the
general population of bats is thought to be less than 1%. Of the
bats tested at the Michigan Department of Community Health’s
Bureau of Laboratories, about 6% are positive. The reason for
the difference is the bats that get submitted for testing are more
likely to be sick bats that are behaving abnormally.
Since 1978, 75% of human rabies cases in the United States
have been caused by bat-strains. In most of these cases, an
exposure to bats could not be confirmed. For that reason, bats
may represent a special concern. Bats have very small teeth,
and a bite from a bat may not be felt. Bats are frequently found
inside people’s homes. If a bat is found inside your home, DO
NOT DISCARD IT. Instead you should safely collect the bat until
the need for rabies testing as been determined. Wearing
leather gloves, place a coffee can or box over the bat, then use a
piece of cardboard with holes punched in it to slide under the
can or box, taping this cover firmly to the container. Contact your
local health department or animal control agency to arrange for
testing. If a bat is found in the room with a sleeping person, a
child, or someone who is mentally disabled or intoxicated, that
bat should be collected for rabies testing. If the bat is
unavailable for testing, PEP may need to be administered. Your
local health department should be contacted for help in
determining the need for PEP.
Information provided by Michigan State Authorities and Gulf
Coast Greyhounds
There is no treatment for rabies once a person or animal
shows signs of the disease, and death is inevitable.
How is rabies prevented?
There are vaccines available for most domestic animals that
are effective in preventing rabies should they be exposed to an
animal with rabies. These vaccines should be administered by
a licensed veterinarian, and boosters given as recommended
by the vaccine manufacturer. Any type of animal for which a
licensed vaccine exists should be vaccinated, and these
include dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, cows, sheep, and goats. If
you think your pet or livestock may have been exposed to a rabid
animal, report it to your veterinarian.
In humans, rabies can be prevented by reducing your exposure
to un-vaccinated animals, unfamiliar animals, and wild or exotic
animals for which vaccines do not exist. In the case of
exposure to a potentially rabid animal, there is a Post Exposure
Prophylaxis (PEP) treatment which, when administered
appropriately, can prevent the disease in exposed persons.
There is no PEP treatment available for animals.
Is there a rabies vaccine for people?
There are rabies vaccines available for use in people. In most
cases, they are used as part of the PEP treatment for people
exposed to potentially rabid animals. Persons in high-risk
occupations such as veterinarians and animal control officers,
or some people traveling overseas, may have a "pre-exposure"
series of vaccines in order to induce immunity to the rabies
virus. In the case of future exposure to a rabid animal, fewer
doses of vaccine are required for PEP.
What is Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)?
PEP is the treatment given to people exposed to potentially or
known rabid animals. Guidelines for PEP have been developed
by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),
and include one dose of rabies immune globulin, and a series
of 5 doses of rabies vaccine given over a 28 day period. Rabies
immune globulin is made up of antibodies to the rabies virus,
and is injected into the site of the bite from the animal. The
vaccine is administered in the muscle of the arm. There has
never been a case of rabies in a person who has received PEP
administered in accordance with the ACIP recommended
guidelines.
Will rabies vaccine make me sick?
Rabies vaccine is made from killed rabies virus, and cannot
cause rabies. The vaccine is no more painful than any other
type of vaccination, and side effects are similar to those seen
with other vaccines, and can include pain, redness, itching, and
swelling at the site of the vaccination. Localized pain and a
fever can sometimes follow a rabies immune globulin
injection. Most side effects can be managed with an anti-
inflammatory medication such as acetaminophen. As with any
vaccine, some individuals can experience more serious side
effects, and a physician should be consulted if this occurs. If
you experience an unusual reaction to any vaccine, ask your
health care provider to report it to the Vaccine Adverse Event
Reporting System (VAERS). You can also report it yourself by
calling 1-800-822-7967, or visiting their website at www.vaers.
org.
What should I do if I think I may have been exposed to rabies?
It is important to first thoroughly cleanse any wound caused by
an animal with soap and water. Next, you should immediately
seek medical attention. Appropriate wound care, including
antibiotics, and the need for a tetanus booster will be
determined by your health care provider. Animal bites must be
reported to local health authorities for appropriate follow-up and
determination of the need for PEP. If possible, the animal
should be safely confined or collected until the need for rabies
testing has been determined. Determining that an animal is
negative for rabies infection can make PEP treatment
unnecessary.
Are bats more likely to have rabies than other mammals?
Bats are the species of animal most often found to be positive
for rabies in Michigan. In general, the rate of rabies in the
general population of bats is thought to be less than 1%. Of the
bats tested at the Michigan Department of Community Health’s
Bureau of Laboratories, about 6% are positive. The reason for
the difference is the bats that get submitted for testing are more
likely to be sick bats that are behaving abnormally.
Since 1978, 75% of human rabies cases in the United States
have been caused by bat-strains. In most of these cases, an
exposure to bats could not be confirmed. For that reason, bats
may represent a special concern. Bats have very small teeth,
and a bite from a bat may not be felt. Bats are frequently found
inside people’s homes. If a bat is found inside your home, DO
NOT DISCARD IT. Instead you should safely collect the bat until
the need for rabies testing as been determined. Wearing
leather gloves, place a coffee can or box over the bat, then use a
piece of cardboard with holes punched in it to slide under the
can or box, taping this cover firmly to the container. Contact your
local health department or animal control agency to arrange for
testing. If a bat is found in the room with a sleeping person, a
child, or someone who is mentally disabled or intoxicated, that
bat should be collected for rabies testing. If the bat is
unavailable for testing, PEP may need to be administered. Your
local health department should be contacted for help in
determining the need for PEP.
Information provided by Michigan State Authorities and Gulf
Coast Greyhounds
** Animal must be well known to observe these symptoms
How do I know if my pet has rabies?
| What a dog with rabies looks like when they are sick. |
| Click on pictures to enlarge. |
What is rabies?
Rabies is a viral disease that can infect mammals. It causes
inflammation of the brain. Once symptoms begin, there is no
treatment for rabies, and it is always fatal.
How do you get rabies?
The virus is usually transmitted by the bite of an infected
animal. The virus can also be transmitted if saliva from an
infected animal gets into an open wound or onto a mucous
membrane such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. Inhalation of
rabies virus has been known to occur, but only in very special
circumstances, such as a research laboratory.
How do you know if an animal has rabies?
There are 2 forms of rabies illness seen in animals. One is
known as the furious form, and animals with this type of rabies
can exhibit symptoms such as agitation and increased
aggressiveness early on, followed by depression, paralysis,
and eventually death. The other type of rabies is called the
dumb form, and these animals are lethargic, depressed, and
eventually die. Because many illnesses can cause these
types of symptoms, rabies can be difficult to diagnose. You
cannot always know if an animal has rabies, but if you observe
“a pet animal behaving wild or a wild animal behaving tame”,
you should consider rabies as a possible cause, and take
appropriate precautions.
There is no test of a live animal that can detect the presence of
the rabies virus. In order to determine if an animal has rabies,
brain tissue must be examined for the presence of
characteristic lesions.
Symptoms of Rabies:
Rabies is a viral disease that can infect mammals. It causes
inflammation of the brain. Once symptoms begin, there is no
treatment for rabies, and it is always fatal.
How do you get rabies?
The virus is usually transmitted by the bite of an infected
animal. The virus can also be transmitted if saliva from an
infected animal gets into an open wound or onto a mucous
membrane such as the eyes, nose, or mouth. Inhalation of
rabies virus has been known to occur, but only in very special
circumstances, such as a research laboratory.
How do you know if an animal has rabies?
There are 2 forms of rabies illness seen in animals. One is
known as the furious form, and animals with this type of rabies
can exhibit symptoms such as agitation and increased
aggressiveness early on, followed by depression, paralysis,
and eventually death. The other type of rabies is called the
dumb form, and these animals are lethargic, depressed, and
eventually die. Because many illnesses can cause these
types of symptoms, rabies can be difficult to diagnose. You
cannot always know if an animal has rabies, but if you observe
“a pet animal behaving wild or a wild animal behaving tame”,
you should consider rabies as a possible cause, and take
appropriate precautions.
There is no test of a live animal that can detect the presence of
the rabies virus. In order to determine if an animal has rabies,
brain tissue must be examined for the presence of
characteristic lesions.
Symptoms of Rabies:
 | Restlessness | |
| Nervousness | |
| Developing viciousness; First towards strangers and | |
| then towards anyone (they do not recognize family members/owners). | ||
| May wander far, snapping at anything in its path | |
| If restrained, will chew viciously to free itself | |
| May bite itself | |
| May break its teeth | |
| Froths at the mouth or drools excessively. Saliva may be | |
| tinged with blood. (constricts the ability to swallow thus causing the inability to swallow saliva, food or water.) | ||
| Oblivious to pain. Paralysis of vocal chords causes | |
| strange utterances and hoarse howls.** At this time one may mistakenly think the dog or cat has something caught in its throat and infect themselves while attempting to look in the animal's mouth. |
| A bite wound that may be red and inflamed. | |
| Vague changes in temperament. | |
| May hide and shun company. | |
| May be unusually attentive and affectionate. | |
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