Please make sure your dogs and cats that go outside are up to date on their rabies vaccines. (Its also prudent to vaccinate an indoor only cat if you live in an area that has lots of bats or have had a history of a bat flying into your house.) The main carriers for rabies in the Northwest are in fact bats. The fox that tested positive at Oregon State was most likely bitten by a rabid bat prior to developing the disease. The virus begins to shed from the salivary glands just prior to the onset of clinical signs which include erratic behavior, lack of fear of humans, lack of coordination, excessive salivation and in certain cases extreme aggression. Any animal exhibiting the above behaviors should NOT be approached. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife should be contacted. This is particularly true for bats that are found on the ground or that may have come into contact with cats and dogs. It is vitally important that these animals be tested so we can surveil the incidence of rabies in our state and make sure that you and your pets have not been exposed. I should reassure you all that the incidence of rabies in our state is extremely low as it is in most states, mainly due to rabies vaccinations. If your dog or cat is current on the rabies immunization when exposed to a rabid animal the recommendation is to simply boost their rabies vaccination. If your pet is not current when exposed to an wild animal that is confirmed to have rabies then the recommendation is either euthanasia or a six month quarantine. My purpose of pointing this out is to reinforce the fact that this is a serious disease with high stakes, it is rare, and its rarity is due in large part to responsible owners keeping their pets current on their vaccines.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 17:39:15 +0000
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