Rabies: Is Your Cat Protected?

September is rabies awareness month, this need was made more evident by the article in The Patch LaGrange last week about rabies being found in bats of Cook county http://lagrange.patch.com/groups/around-town/p/five-rabid-bats-found-in-cook-county.  Rabies is a viral disease that affects mammals.  It is always fatal.  Each year in the United States, more cats than any other pet get rabies.  Cats, dogs, ferrets and humans get rabies through a scratch or a bite from an infected animal.  There is a vaccination to prevent rabies.  The rabies vaccination is required by Cook County, even for indoor only pets (Article II, Section 10-41).  The actual frequency (every 1 or 3 years) depends on the vaccine used.  Rabies vaccination is mostly a human protective measure.

As the article last week showed, the virus is in the suburbs.  It has been found in bats, but with the forest preserves, it is also possible to be carried into our backyards by other forest wildlife.  Bats can get into our houses.  This could expose the family along with any indoor warm-blooded  pet.  

If a vaccinated pet is exposed; the pet needs to be examined by a veterinarian and then again 10 days later.  If a pet that is not vaccinated is exposed; then they must be quarantined for 10 days either at an animal hospital or animal care and control. After the 10 day rabies watch, the pet is then vaccinated. This is provided the public health department does not indicate it must be euthanized and tested for rabies.  Rabies cannot be tested for on a live animal.

Cook County law indicated that all cats, dogs, and ferrets must be vaccinated for rabies once they are at least 16 weeks of age.  Usually this is about the time that the dogs and cats are spayed or neutered.  It can be done at the same time as the surgery.  

For the safety of all, pets and humans, be sure your pet is up to date on its rabies vaccination.

Dr. Pam Cuevas

LaGrange Park Cat Clinic

3075 S. Wolf Rd.

Westchester, IL 60154

P:  (708)562-2287

cat.doc@lgpcatvet.com