South Eastern
Colorado Animal
Rescue Effort,
Inc.to build and nuture the human/animal bond
|
South Eastern
Colorado Animal
Rescue Effort,
Inc. to build and nuture the human/animal bond |
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Rabies in Colorado... In South Eastern Colorado, which is where we are located, there has been a rise in rabies cases. While our county, Crowley, has not had any actual confirmed cases, our neighbor, Otero County, has. And the virus is steadily moving west. So, it's just a matter of time. We talked about this a little on the FB fan page, but it is something that the public in general needs to be more aware. Rabies is incurable. It will kill animals. It will kill people if treatment is not begun in time (you have only have a matter of days to start treatment). It is a virus that affects the nervous system. It is a miserable death for the animal. The wild animals most associated with rabies infection are: skunks, coyotes, raccoons, bats and foxes. Other animals seem to be less likely to have rabies. Symptoms of a rabies-infected animal include unusual behavior--lack of fear of humans or domestic animals. It's not normal for a wild animal to want to be around people. They are not friendly. Nature has given them a natural fear or caution of people and other animals. Animals may also show a sensitivity to light and/or avoidance of water. As the disease progresses, the animal may stumble or seem disoriented. If you see a wild animal exhibiting any of these signs, call law enforcement immediately. If a wild animal or domestic animal bites a human, Colorado law requires that incident be reported to your local health department. This report must be done within 24 hours. If a wild animal bites (or breaks the skin) of a human, the animal must be tested for rabies. Try to keep track of the animal or trap the animal if it can be safely done. Never directly approach the animal. If a domestic animal--cat, dog, ferret, bites a human, there is an automatic quarantine period--whether the animal has had a rabies vaccine or not. Your local health department sets the period of time for that quarantine--usually 10 days. If your pet has an encounter with a wild animal that results in a bite or skin being broken...these are the options available to you as a pet owner. If you have proof of a vet-administered rabies vaccine for the current year, the animal is immediately given another rabies vaccine, and is under observation at the owner's home for a period of 45 days. If the animal has had two sets of rabies shots in the past (administered by a vet) but is not current, the animal is immediately given another rabies vaccine and is under observation at the owner's home for 90 days. If your animal has not been given a rabies vaccine by a vet ever, then the animal is under observation for 90 days at a suitable facility (vet's office, shelter or kennel) at the owner's expense. I know that in rural areas, we many times vaccinate our own animals. A rabies vaccine administered under these circumstances will not be recognized. The final option is euthanasia. Please contact your local health department to be sure you understand your obligations as a pet owner for your locale. Rabies is preventable. There are many programs available that can provide low-cost rabies vaccine. |
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