How Do Pets and Domesticated Animals Get Rabies?
Rabies in dogs and cats is very unusual because of the success of animal vaccination programs.
However, some people do not vaccinate their pets. Any mammal can contract rabies from the bite of an
infected mammal.
See
Rabies In Wildlife for information about wild animals and rabies.
What Should I Teach My Child About Pets and Rabies?
Teach your child:
- Not to touch, chase, or approach stray animals.
- If they find one nearby or in a tent or building
make sure they know to not get near or touch it. Your child should tell friends to stay away as well and
go get an adult.
- Your child should tell an adult immediately if bitten by an animal or if unsure if a
he or she was bitten (e.g. had a bat landed on him or her,etc.)
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Rabies?
You cannot tell for certain an animal has rabies just by looking at it, however, there are
some common signs to look out for:
- Strange behavior- An animal may be very docile or behave very aggressively.
- Change in voice of the animal.
- Activity during a time of day that is not normal (example: raccoons and skunks are normally active at night not
usually seen during the day)
- Drooling or excessive salivation.
- Lack of coordination, such as stumbling.
What Should My Child Do If Bitten?
TELL AN ADULT IMMEDIATELY