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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>I just heard a lady from the Health Department here in Mason County say a small percentage of bats do have rabies, and of course I don’t remember the precise number.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The following is taken from the Sunset Eastern Animal Hospital website. My thanks to them for this very comprehensive article.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The animal hospital is located in Las Vegas. Charlie Crawford.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>What You Need to Know About Rabies<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> What to Do If You Think You Might Have Rabies <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If you think you may have been infected with rabies, take the following <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> steps:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Wash the wound with anti-bacterial soap and rinse it thoroughly. Washing <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> will help remove some of the saliva; although you cannot rely on washing <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> alone to prevent an infection.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> See a doctor as soon as possible. Prompt treatment is the key to <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> avoiding or treating rabies. Based on the type of exposure, your doctor <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> will determine if you need treatment.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Talk to animal control personnel and health department staff about the <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> location of the animal. These departments will do their best to capture <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> a wild animal and test it for rabies. If you were bitten by a pet, it <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> will be observed for 10 days. You will not need to receive treatment if <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> the pet remains healthy during this time. Treatment recommendations for <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> other animals vary, depending on the type of animal and exposure. If you <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> have been bitten and the animal cannot be found, treatment is often <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> recommended. Because bats have tiny teeth, you may not always realize <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> that you have been bitten, particularly if the bat was in your bedroom <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> overnight. Be sure to mention any exposure to bats to your doctor.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rabies is deadly disease, but, luckily, outbreaks are not particularly common in <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>the United States. In fact, 95 percent of deaths due to rabies occur in Africa <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>and Asia, according to the World Health Organization. Although rabies might not <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>be widespread in the U.S., the consequences can be severe if you are bitten by a <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>rabid animal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A Dangerous Virus<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rabies is an infectious viral disease that is spread among mammals. It is part <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>of a group of diseases, called zoonotic diseases, that animals can transmit to <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>humans. The rabies virus is usually transmitted through saliva when an infected <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>animal bites or scratches you; although you can also get rabies if you touch the <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>brain or nervous system tissue of an animal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Not Just Bats<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bats are one of the most well-known carriers of the rabies virus, but they are <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>not the only mammals that can infect people. Other carriers include skunks, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>cattle, coyotes, foxes, dogs, cats, ferrets and raccoons; although bites from <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>infected dogs cause the majority of human deaths attributed to rabies.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Types of Exposure<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A bite from an infected animal is not the only way that the virus spreads. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Because rabies is present in the animal's saliva, you can also get rabies if the <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>saliva comes in contact with a scratch or wound or with your mouth, lips, eyes <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>or other mucous membranes. For example, being licked by a dog with rabies could <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>expose you to the virus. Rabies is not spread by touching or petting an infected <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>animal or by coming in contact with its urine, feces or blood. If you are not <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>sure if you should receive treatment, call your doctor or local health <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>department for advice.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rabies Symptoms<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rabies symptoms do not develop immediately after you are bitten. It may take one <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>week to three months before you may notice any changes in your health. Early <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>symptoms include fever, pain and a burning or tingling feeling at the site of <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>your wound. The virus eventually travels throughout your entire nervous system, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>causing inflammation of the spinal cord and brain. Rabies is often fatal once <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>symptoms develop.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Good News<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rabies is very rarely fatal if you receive treatment soon after exposure. You <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>will receive one dose of immune globulin and four doses of the rabies vaccine <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>over the course of two weeks. Although these injections were once given in the <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>abdomen, today, doctors use your arm as the injection site.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Preventing the Spread of Rabies<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rabies vaccines for pets are very effective in preventing the disease. Depending <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>on your state, you may be required to vaccinate your pet every year or every <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>three years. Avoid contact with wild animals and be careful when handling the <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>remains of dead wild animals. If you notice that animals that are normally <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>nocturnal, such as skunks or raccoons, are active during the day, stay away from <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>them and call your local animal control department.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Whether you have questions about rabies or other illnesses or health conditions <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>that can affect your pet, we are here for you. Just give us a call, and we will <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>be happy to answer your questions or make an appointment for you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>-- <br>The Seeing Eye<br>Independence with Dignity since 1929<br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>