Guard Against Rabies
By IAN HICKS Staff WriterArticle Photos
WHEELING - For about $5, you can save the life of your best friend. That's about what it costs to have your dog or cat innoculated against the deadly rabies virus.
During summer months, most counties hold rabies clinics where pet owners can bring their cats, dogs and even ferrets to a reputable veterinarian at public locations for the vaccination. Most clinics are held at playgrounds or other large, outdoor facilities.
In West Virginia, owners of dogs and cats are required to have their animals properly vaccinated or immunized against rabies. Failure to vaccinate pet dogs and cats can result in a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50, or be confined in the county jail not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days, or both.
The law also states that West Virginia rabies protocol calls for any unvaccinated dog or cat that is exposed to a proven or suspected rabid animal should be euthanized immediately, unless the exposing animal tests negative for rabies.
With at least two animals in the area testing positive for rabies this year, it's more important than ever for people to know how to keep themselves safe.
The most recent case, according to registered sanitarian Jolene Zuros of the Hancock County Health Department, occurred when a bat in New Cumberland tested positive for the virus in June, although there was no known human contact with the bat.
In Ohio County in March, three people were treated after coming in contact with a rabid raccoon that had been killed by a dog. That dog had been vaccinated - a fact that most likely saved it from euthanization.
"We've had a number of animals tested since January," said Howard Gamble, administrator for the Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department. He said 22 animal encounters have been reported, about half of which resulted in testing. Thus far, the raccoon is the only one to test positive.
No positive tests were reported in Ohio County in 2008, while last year three raccoons in Hancock County tested positive.
Gamble said 937 encounters have been reported statewide, and positive tests are on the rise. But he noted most of those positives are concentrated in the states' eastern border counties so when an animal tests positive in Ohio County, it is definitely cause for concern.
It's important to keep in mind that rabies isn't just fatal to animals - humans are at risk, too. So what can residents do to protect themselves?
"Stay away," said Gamble, who noted a major warning sign is an animal that does not shy away from approaching humans.
Zuros also said that "enjoying wildlife from afar" is the best way for people to avoid contracting the virus. Symptoms include stumbling or not walking straight, and frothing at the mouth - a condition that occurs because the animal can no longer swallow.
Zuros added people should be wary of raccoons - notorious carrier of the disease - that are out during the day. Raccoons are nocturnal.creatures, and roaming in the daylight hours is unusual behavior.
But Zuros said many of those symptoms don't present themselves until the disease has reached its latter stages and the animal is close to death. Likewise, Gamble noted that there are no "warning" signs for humans - and if those warning signs are present, "you're a goner."
While keeping one's distance from potentially rabid animals is a good rule to follow for humans, getting your pets to heed that warning may be more difficult. For that reason, Zuros said "the most important thing is for pet owners to get their pets immunized against rabies." Owners should have their pets inoculated against the virus every two years following the initial shot, usually given to the animal at the age of 6 months.
Zuros said in the event that your pet bites another human, having up-to-date rabies vaccinations on record can save the animal's life. If an unvaccinated pet bites a human it likely would have to be euthanized and sent to the state lab for testing. Gamble said destroying an animal and analyzing the brain stem is the only way to ascertain whether the animal has contracted the disease.
Regional epidemiologist Mike Makowski said cats in particular are a problem because they are free roamers, and he added there is a very poor record for cats being immunized in the Northern Panhandle.
And Zuros noted it's not just outdoor pets that need to be vaccinated - indoor pets are at risk from bats which can get inside the home, and whose bites are small and often hard to detect.
Treatment of humans for the disease is expensive, time-consuming and painful. Zuros said the normal procedure is to give the rabies vaccine and a dose of rabies immune globulin immediately after exposure. The rabies vaccine must then be administered on the third, seventh, 14th and 28th day after exposure. She said emergency rooms generally treat these cases on an outpatient basis after the initial treatment.
Even so, Gamble and Zuros don't recommend that people get the pre-exposure vaccine unless they work in a high risk environment such as a pet store, animal shelter or animal control office. In order to avoid the ordeal of treatment, people should simply be careful around animals. While biting and scratching are the most common methods of transmission, Zuros said the virus can be spread if humans come into contact with an infected animal's bodily fluids.
"It's very rare, but it can happen," Zuros said.
Gamble said if anyone sees an animal they suspect is rabid, they should immediately call the nearest animal control center, or law enforcement.
(Heather Ziegler also contributed to the story.)
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joesr66
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07-06-09 8:43 AM
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with all these cats over running neighborhood who going to have them taken care of when it comes to rabies cause none has collar to show they are owned by anyone. The owners of these cats should have some sort of collar around their nect to prove someone is taking care of them.you asked who owns them and no one knows so it looks like stray cats on the loose.If you own a cats take care of them and don't let them be a burden to your neighbor. They will use your yard to crap in and belive me it sure makes you place stink and I would do that to anyone.I think more peole should start and trap them because they maybe have rabies.
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Wondering
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07-05-09 6:47 AM
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Always be sure to vaccinate your rac***** and bats.
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