Rabies

Most of us are aware that rabies is a serious disease, but we might not realize that rabies is still a constant presence in wildlife throughout New York State. Rabies is not as rare as you may think and it remains a disease of public health significance. In early October of this year, a white-tailed deer was confirmed to have rabies in Columbia County, and the month prior, a rabid raccoon with human exposure was found in Sullivan County. Sullivan County also had a rabid cat confirmed in 2023.

There are more than 50,000 human deaths from rabies annually worldwide. There are thankfully few reported cases in domestic dogs and cats in New York State since a law requires all domestic dogs and cats be vaccinated against the disease.

Rabies is contracted through the bite and saliva of an infected animal. The virus replicates in the tissue around the bite and then travels along the nerves to the brain. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months for the disease to show up after an infected bite. Once the rabies virus has entered the nervous system the disease is rarely curable. While human exposure to rabies in New York State is not common, one should always be aware of the risk for potential exposure and avoid high risk situations such as wildlife encounters.

The most commonly reported rabid animals are skunks, raccoons, bats, foxes, coyotes, and feral cats. However, any mammal can be infected with the virus. Rabid animals generally display abnormal behavior such as a wild animal seeming friendly and then suddenly becoming aggressive and biting. Common signs of rabies infection include anxiety, confusion, agitation, excessive salivation and difficulty swallowing. Rabid animals with overt symptoms are easy to spot due to their strange behavior and are usually avoided by humans. It is the seemingly friendly cat, dog, or wild animal that can lead us to let down our guard.

One of the best ways to protect your pet and yourself is to vaccinate your pet against rabies. Although wildlife in the US accounts for most the rabies cases, your pet can be exposed via rabid wildlife and bring the disease into your home. If you are bitten by an unknown pet or wild animal it is important to wash the wound quickly and thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic. You should then immediately contact a physician and report the bite to the Department of Health. Likewise, contact your physician if there is suspected contact with a bat or a bat is found in the home. Post exposure vaccines, if given soon after the bite, are almost 100% effective.

Some people may be concerned with the idea of giving an indoor-only pet a rabies vaccine, but it’s important to remember that in addition to it being a law, no indoor pet is 100% protected from rabies. Rabid raccoons have been known to break through screens to get inside, bats easily find their way inside, and it’s not impossible that a pet might accidentally find itself outside – either from escaping or during an emergency. Bats have a high incidence of rabies and they do not have to appear sick to transmit the disease. And chances are if a bat entered our house, many of our pets would eagerly investigate. Lastly, if an unvaccinated or just overdue pet came into contact with a rabid animal or bit someone themselves, euthanasia may be recommended or even enforced, depending on the local law. There is no post-exposure treatment for rabies in pets and the post-exposure treatment only works in people if it is administered in time.

Although rabies exposure is not a common occurrence, the rabies virus is ever present in New York State. Vaccinating your pets and avoiding exposure to wild animals and unknown domestic animals is the best way to prevent the disease.