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Rabies Information 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 any
other Florida county. What is rabies, and how does 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 commonly bite or attack other wildlife or domestic animals.How can I tell if an animal may possibly be rabid? Animals infected with rabies typically exhibit odd behavior. They are either 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?
If the animal has been killed, be careful to not damage the head of the animal and avoid any contact with the animal after it has died. Protect your pets! Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies. You may obtain a rabies vaccination at any veterinarian office (for a list of veterinarian offices in Marion County, click here), vaccine clinic (for a list of vaccine clinics that operate in Marion County, click here) or at the Animal Center. Rabies vaccines are available at the Animal Center Tuesday-Saturday, 2-3 p.m. They are also available at the Neuter Commuter from 2-3 p.m. each day that it's operational. For a schedule of Neuter Commuter locations, click here. Prevention of rabies Rabies is easily avoided by following the proper precautions:
 If you suspect that your pet was exposed to a rabid animal, contact your
veterinarian and local health department immediately. Do not handle your
animal unless you are wearing gloves. Make sure to wash the wound with
soap and water to wash away any saliva from the infected animal. Make
sure that the animal does not come into contact with any other animals
or people until the situation has been handled with your local animal
control agency and county health department.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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