The rabies virus lives in the saliva and other body fluids of infected animals. It is spread if you are bitten or scratched or if the body fluid of an infected animal comes in contact with broken skin or your eyes, nose or mouth. It can also be inhaled in caves that have large bat populations.

Any mammal can be infected with rabies, however it is most common in bats, skunks, foxes and raccoons. It can also infect dogs, cats and livestock, who can then transmit this disease to their owners. Rabies is rare in rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels and never spread by birds, fish, snakes, turtles or insects.

A rabid animal will behave strangely once infected. They become aggressive without cause or shy and withdrawn. Wildlife will sometimes lose their fear of people. Not all-rabid animals will behave this way so it is best to avoid all wild animals especially bats, foxes, skunks and raccoons.

Do not feed or touch stray cats and dogs. It is best to contact the local authorities to have these animals safely removed from the area.

If you are bitten or scratched by a stray or wild animal, a pet or farm animal that is behaving in an odd manner, and / or is foaming at the mouth follow these steps:

• Immediately wash the wound with soap and water for at least 5 minutes.
• Call your local board of health and your doctor or health center as soon as you finish cleansing the wound. They can help decide if you need treatment for rabies.
• Contact the local animal control officer to catch or find the animal that bit or scratched you. The local board of health can determine the need to quarantine the animal or have it tested.

If you think your pet has been bitten or scratched by an animal that you feel may be rabid, wear gloves to touch it. Follow the first three steps but call your vet rather than your doctor.

People who have been exposed to rabies receive six injections over a period of a month and those shots are no longer given in the stomach area. The first injection is an antibiotic to fight the virus and the others are vaccines to ensure long lasting protection. For maximum benefit the shots should begin as soon as possible after the bite or scratch has occurred.

If the animal is caught and can be tested some doctors will wait for the results to see if the shots are actually needed.

Prevention is of the utmost importance. Teach your children to avoid any animal - pet or wild - they don't know. Report any animal that is behaving oddly to your animal control officer.

Please make sure all pets are vaccinated for rabies and that those shots are kept up to date. A vaccination against rabies should be administered at three months of age per Florida requirements and revaccination should occur once a year thereafter.

Only a licensed veterinarian, to assure the public that the animal has been properly vaccinated, should administer shots. Valuable livestock or those animals that are in contact frequently with humans may be vaccinated. There is no rabies vaccine licensed for use in wild animals.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Dr. Paula Alshouse for her extremely educational article regarding rabies. 
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