Rabies on the rise statewide, what to do if your pet interacts with a rabid animal

There is good a reason the word rabies evokes fear in any animal lover because it is such a fatal disease.

So far this year no cases of rabies have been reported in Yuma County, but that doesn’t mean this has not always been the case in previous years.

“I do a lot of work with game and fish and so I tend to see more of that kind of thing, most notably it was the fox, some people were feeding it in the foothills and he had suspicious behavior…Game and fish brought it on and sure enough, it was rabid,” shared Dr. Haugo from Desert Veterinary.

Though the number of rabies reported in the area in previous years is low, no one is really safe.

“We’re in a situation where rabies is endemic that means it is always in the population, the wild population, what we do to prevent it is we vaccinate,” said Dr. Haugo.

Rabies can easily be transmitted through a bite from an infected animal, saliva contact of an infected animal or if exposed to wild animals.

Some of the Symptoms include: changes in behavior, biting or snapping at any form of stimulus, attacking others, fever, hiding in dark places, hypersensitivity, foaming of the mouth and these are Just to name a few.

If you notice the following symptoms it is essential to protect yourself and your pet and it is recommended to call your vet immediately. Do not touch your pet if infected, but if you do, it is recommended to use gloves.

Also, if your animal is rabid, you can also contact animal control officers if out of control. Moreover, a dog who is up to date with his vaccinations and happens to be bitten by a possibly rabid animal should also be given a rabies booster vaccine immediately and kept under observation.