Rabies

Rabies What is it?

Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the nervous system and is virtually always fatal. It is most commonly found in bats, skunks, foxes and raccoons. Unvaccinated pets or livestock can also be infected.

Rabies is spread when an animal or human is bitten or scratched by an infected animal, or if an infected animal's saliva comes in contact with broken skin or mucous membranes.

Preventing Rabies Exposure

What is Exposure?

Exposure is defined by national authorities as either: 1.) bite exposure --- any penentration of the skin by teeth, or 2.) non-bite exposure ----- saliva of an infected animal coming in contact with abrasions, open wounds, or mucous membranes. Theoretically, scratches contaminated with saliva or other potenially infectious tissue are also classified as non-bite exposure.

Because the majority of rabies cases in people in the United States are contractd from wild animal, people should avoid contact with them --- especially bats, skunks, and raccoons. Some simple steps can be taken to make your home less appealing to wild animals.

• Never approach or touch wild or stray animals or pets that you don't know well.
• Do not encourage any wild animal to live in your neighborhood by making pet food, garbage or handouts avaialble to them.
• Install a chimneycap to prevent raccoons and other animals from living in your home.
• Seal areas around your home that animals may use as a den, such as an attic, crawl space, or areas under your porch or deck.

Signs of Rabies in Animals

It's not always possible to determine that an animal is infected with rabies by simple observation. Signs in an animal which should lead you to suspect that it may be rabid are:

• Nervousness
• Aggressiveness
• Excessive drooling and foaming at the mouth

• Abnormal behavior such as:

  • Wild animals losing thier fear of human beings
  • Animals normally active at night being seen during the day.

What to do if bitten or scratched by an animal

• Immediately wash the wound with lots of soap and water.
• Capture the animal, if possible, so it can be checked for rabies. Take care to prevent additional bites, or get the pet owner's name, address, and telephone number. Find out if the animal has a current rabies vaccination and write down the rabies tag and license number.
• If an animal must be killed, do not damage the head. Rabies testing is done on the brain.
• When dealing with a dead animal, wear gloves or use a shovel to move the animal. Put the animals body in a heavy duty plastic bag and place in a protected area away from people and other animals. If necessary, a dead animal may be kept overnight on ice or in a refrigerator until it can be picked up for testing. Do not freeze. Clean the area and any tools used to remove the animal with one part bleach to 10 parts water.
• Do not delay seeking medical advice. Go to your family doctor or the nearest emergency room. Also, call your local health department right away. Some people are afraid to seek treatment because they have heard it involves a series of painful shots to the abdomen. This is no longer true.

Additional sources of information about rabies

• Family physician
• Your veterinarian
• Local Health Department - Call 1-906-774-1868 or 1-906-265-9913 to reach the Health Department offices in Dickinson or Iron Counties.
• Animal Shelters
• Michigan Department of Community Health, Community Public Health Administration or Bureau of Epidemiology.