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Marion County Animal Services
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Rabies
In
the early part of 2008, Marion County issued the highest number of rabies alerts
out of all of the counties in Florida. This means Marion County had more
confirmed rabid (infected with rabies) animals than other Florida counties, and
county citizens need to be aware of the danger and threat of this disease. What is rabies, and how is it spread? Rabies is a degenerative viral disease that attacks the central nervous system. It can be prevented, but it can't be cured. The virus attacks the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals (including people). While mostly controlled in the U.S., rabies is responsible for the deaths of 55,000 people each year. Rabies is spread when the saliva of an infected animal enters the open wound, mouth, nose or eyes of another animal or person. This usually occurs when the infected animal bites the victim. Bats are the most common vehicle for transmission of rabies to humans, but animals such as foxes and raccoons are what commonly will bite or attack other wildlife or domestic animals. How can I tell if an animal may possibly be rabid? Animals infected with rabies typically show odd behavior. They will either be hyper aggressive and attack without provocation, or a wild animal may act tame. Rabid animals may not be able to eat, drink or swallow. An infected animal may also be drooling, staggering or appear paralyzed. This disease is usually deadly for most animals. What should I do if an animal bites me?
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Prevention of rabies
Rabies is easily avoided by following the proper precautions.
For additional information on rabies, please visit the following sites: Florida Department of Health (FDOH): http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Environment/community/rabies/rabies-index.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/ American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): http://www.avma.org/public_health/default.asp#rabies |
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