World Rabies Day

World Rabies Day

September 28 is World Rabies Day—a day to raise awareness about rabies and work together for prevention. 

Millions of animals, including pets, die from rabies every year. There is currently no cure for rabies; once it’s contracted, infected animals must be euthanized. There is good news—rabies is 100% preventable and many cities and towns in the US even require pets to be vaccinated against rabies.

What is rabies and how is it spread?

Rabies is a deadly viral disease commonly spread through an infected animal bite. While it is possible for humans and domestic pets to spread rabies, it is rare in the United States and is more commonly spread by wildlife such as bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes.

How can rabies be prevented?

There are many ways to protect your pet from rabies—the first is to keep your pet’s rabies vaccinations up to date. Other ways to prevent rabies are to keep your pets supervised and away from wildlife and ensure your pet is spayed or neutered to help reduce the number of pets without a home that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated.

It’s important to protect yourself from rabies as well. If you have been bitten by an animal, contact your doctor right away. Find more information on what to do if you have been bitten by an animal.

If you’re unsure of when your pet is due for their rabies vaccination, call us at (815) 398-6484 and we will be happy to help you.