Dog Worldwide, dogs are the main natural reservoir of the rabies virus.

Other reservoirs Other known natural reservoirs of rabies are skunks, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, and bats. Theoretically any mammal can contract rabies and then transmit the disease to another mammal (including people). Bats Bats can be infected with rabies, and bats that are behaving abnormally (eg crawling on the ground or trapped in a room) are likely to be rabid. In extremely rare cases, humans have been infected because they inhaled aerosoled saliva that contained the virus (for example, in caves with large bat populations). Cats Cat populations are not resevoirs of the disease but individually they can become infected by rabies and can transmit the disease. Rodents Similarly, small rodents are not reservoirs of rabies: a bite from a squirrel, rat, mouse, guinea pig, hamster, rabbit, chipmunk or gerbil does not generally require post exposure prophylaxis. However, larger rodents such as groundhogs and beavers have occasionally developed rabies.

How can I protect my pet from rabies?

Vaccinate your pets according to the recommended schedule. Take your pet to the veterinarian for a booster shot if you know they have been bitten by a potentially rabid animal. Keep you dog on a leash when outdoors to limit its interaction with wild and/or stray animals. Spay or neuter your pet to prevent unwanted animals. Stray dogs are the major cause of rabies in people.

Should I have my dog or cat vaccinated?

Yes even if they spend most of their time indoors. You and your family have a lot of contact with your pets and if they contract rabies there is a high chance of them passing it to you before you know there is a problem.

In many countries it is a legal requirement that house pets by vaccinated against rabies. Vaccinating your animals against rabies protects them and is an important step to reducing risk for you and your family.

How can I tell if an animal has rabies?

Often you cant tell by looking. However, a rabid animal may stagger or stumble. It may display unprovoked aggressive behavior or be over-friendly. Animals with advanced rabies may foam at the mouth. This is because the rabies virus affects the salivary glands causing hyper-salivation. They may also develop hydrophobia (fear of water). If an animal shows any of these signs, you should contain it to prevent possible exposure either to you, your family, or another animal. However, none of these symptoms are definitive signs that an animal has rabies. To verify an infection, a brain tissue sample must be tested for rabies. For this the animal must be euthanized.

I found a bat in my room - what should I do?

Leave the room and close the door. Contact an animal control officer. Do not attempt to catch the bat yourself. Determine whether anyone in your household (including pets) could have been exposed to the bat. Contact a medical professional, veterinarian, or public health official to report the exposure and ask about rabies vaccination. Often, people are not aware when they are bitten by a bat. If you should wake up and notice a bat in the room, contact a medical professional immediately. Bite marks from bats are sometimes hard to see because they have small teeth and it is possible for rabies transmission from a bat to go unnoticed.

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