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Rabies is Awakening, Too!By: V. Deborah Culligan, RN, MPH, Spring is a time of rebirth. Green sprigs begin to poke through the earth. Leaves begin to unfold. Along with blossoms and blooms comes the awakening of the insect and wildlife worlds. Forest animals deliver their babies and begin to forage for food, sometimes even during daylight hours. This is normal behavior for the birthing season. However, there have also been several reported cases of rabies (mostly in raccoons) within our district over the last few weeks. Therefore, if you spot a wild animal during the day, do not approach it. While it may just be a “mom” looking for extra food, there is a chance that it can be rabid. This is not a cause for panic, but it is a reason to use caution. This is especially important if you own a dog, as three of the most recent cases of rabies have been in raccoons killed by dogs. Learning about rabies is important for the prevention of rabies. First, understand that rabies is always fatal once the disease is established within the body. However, from the time of exposure to the time of the onset of symptoms (establishment of the disease), there is a brief time period in which medical intervention can prevent the development of the disease. The rabies virus, found primarily in the animal’s saliva (not blood), can enter the human body through a bite, scratch, wound or mucus membrane (like the eyes) For this reason, never ignore an animal bite, scratch or saliva contact from a wild animal or an unknown (to you) domestic animal, especially if it seems sick. If you have an encounter such as this, seek medical attention. It is also extremely critical to maintain a barrier between you and wildlife. This can be accomplished by vaccinating your cats and dogs (required by law.) Be sure to keep booster shots up to date. Failure to do this can cause a lot of grief for you (and your pet.) An unvaccinated animal that tangles with a rabid animal will have to be removed from your home for a fairly lengthy time period of off-site quarantine (at your expense!) Since the rabies virus is transmitted primarily through saliva (not blood), you should always use gloves when examining a wet wound on your pet. Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water after any contact, even if you have worn gloves. If the animal is not severely injured, wait until the fur is dry to examine a wound. The rabies virus dies once dry. If your pet gets bitten or has contact with a wild animal, take your pet for a booster shot right away. If you get bitten, immediately wash and soak in soapy water for 10 minutes, then promptly seek medical attention from your doctor. Don’t touch dead animal carcasses with your bare hands. If your animal has tangled with another animal and you have the carcass, you should call your local animal control officer so that the dead animal can be tested for rabies. Teach your children to stay away from the wild animals (even cute baby ones) and from domestic animals they don’t know well. Wildlife animals do not make good pets. An encounter with a rabid animal can be very frightening. However, there should be some reassurance in the fact that rabies in a human in CT is extremely rare. Learning about the disease and its transmission and keeping your pets vaccinated can protect you. For an information packet on rabies, District residents (Hamden, North Haven and Woodbridge) can call QVHD, 203.248.4528. Or you can request information online or through email, dculligan@qvhd.org
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Quinnipiack Valley Health District |
Phone. (203)248-4528 |
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