The ISDH has issued the following information, through the local health department, regarding rabies:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: The Facts about Rabies

What is rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the brain. It is usually passed from animal to animal but it can be
passed from animals to people.

Any mammal can get rabies. Humans are mammals, and so are most of our pets, like cats and dogs. Lots of farm animals like cows and horses are mammals, and so are wild animals like foxes and skunks. Even bats can get rabies! The only way they can give you rabies is if you are bitten by one. Most bats do not have rabies, but you cannot tell just by looking. If you see a bat, the best thing to do is leave it alone. Bats only come out when the sun is down.

In the United States, raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats are the main animals that get rabies.

How do you know if an animal has rabies?

You cannot tell if an animal has rabies by just looking at it. Animals will act strangely. Some animals may act mad when they have rabies. They will be hostile and may try to bite you or other animals. In movies, animals with rabies look like they are foaming at the mouth. What is really happening is that the rabies makes them have more saliva and that makes them drool.

Other animals may act timid or shy when they have rabies. This is the most common kind of behavior. A wild animal might move slowly or act tame. You might be able to easily get close to it. Since that is not the way wild animals usually act, you should remember that something could be wrong.

The only way a doctor can know for sure if an animal or person has rabies is to do laboratory tests.

The best thing to do is to never feed or approach a wild animal. Be careful of pets that you do not know. If you see a stray dog or cat, do not pet it. And if any animal is acting strangely, call your local control officer for help.

How does somebody get rabies?

Rabies is spread through saliva. It is not spread by blood, urine, or feces. If an animal has rabies and bites you - or licks its claw before it scratches you - then you could get rabies, too. You cannot get rabies just by petting an animal with rabies.

What happens if I get rabies?

It can take one month, two months, or even longer for you to know something is wrong. The rabies virus attaches to nerve cells, working its way through the nervous system. Eventually, the virus makes its way to the brain, and by then it is usually too late for doctors to help.

What should I do if I’m bitten by an animal?

Wash the wound with soap and water for at least five minutes. Then go to the doctor as soon aspossible so the doctor can decide if you need more medical attention.

Contact your local animal control officer. If the animal that bit you is a pet, the animal may be watched for signs of rabies for 10 days. If it is a wild animal, the animal control officer will try to catch it and then it may be killed so it can be tested for rabies.

What wild animals cause the most problems?

In the United States, more raccoons have rabies than any other animal, but it is bites from bats that cause the most rabies in people. The problem is that bat bites can be so small you might not think they are very serious. If you discover a bat in the room where you are sleeping, you should act as if you were bitten. If you can trap the bat, then it can be tested so you will know if it had rabies.

What’s the treatment?

You can get anti-rabies shots right away. There are five of them that will be given over 14 days. Two shots are given the first day; one shot goes near where you were bitten and the second in the arm. The rest of the shots go in your arm.

The shots help your body make “antibodies”. An antibody is a special molecule that will attack the virus and make it harder for it to enter a nerve cell. If your body makes enough antibodies, the virus will die.

How do I keep my pet from getting rabies?

The best way to make sure your pet gets its rabies shot. Then be sure they wear their rabies tags and an identification tag with your name and telephone number on their collar.

You want to keep your dog away from wildlife so he won’t be bitten by an animal with rabies. Always walk your dog on a leash so he or she can’t run loose. Keep dogs in a fenced yard if they’re not on a leash. If an animal bites your pet, handle your pet carefully so you don’t get bitten. Take them to your veterinarian so they can get a rabies booster vaccination. That will help them fight off the disease.

Get your pets spayed or neutered. They’ll be less likely to leave home and become strays.

How do I keep me from getting rabies?

Never touch unfamiliar or wild animals.

Avoid direct contact with stray animals. Stray cats and dogs may not have been vaccinated against rabies.

Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home.

Don’t try to nurse sick wild animals back to health. It’s great if you want to rescue a sick animal, but call an animal control person or an animal rescue group so they can take care of everything safely.

Make sure your trash cans are closed up tight and don’t leave pet food out. You don’t want to be attracting wild animals near your home.