Love and care of your family includes responsibility for their health. Knowledge about rabies can help you provide the protection they need.

1.   What is rabies?

It is a disease caused by a rabies virus that can affect all warm-blooded animals, including man. Rabies results in death by paralysis. Reservoirs of the disease include several wild animals common to Missouri.

2.   What are the symptoms of rabies?

This disease occurs in two forms: (A) Vicious rabies and (B) Dumb rabies, with somewhat different symptoms for each type.

(A) Vicious rabies. — The first observable symptoms may be changes in person­ality. For example, a normally friendly active dog may become shy and sluggish while an animal that is nor­mally quiet and shy may become ag­gressive and attack other animals or people. Other symptoms may include: Refusal to eat; unusual excitability or restlessness; extensive roaming; snapping, snarling or growling at most moving objects; and eating sticks or stones to the point of breaking teeth.

The final symptom is paralysis, followed by death within several days.

(B) Dumb rabies. — Few or no "vicious" symptoms may be observed. The infected animal may develop a rapidly progressing paralysis lasting three to five days and ending in death. A slack or "dropped" jaw is characteristic of dumb rabies. 

3.   How is rabies transmitted?

In the saliva of a rabid animal through the act of biting. While possible, only rarely is rabies transmitted by infected saliva contacting an open wound.

4.   When does the virus first occur in the saliva of a rabid animal?
Just before, or about the same time the first symptoms of rabies become appar­ent. In dogs, the first sign is usually a change in personality.

5.   What should I do if bitten by an ani­mal ?
Vigorously wash the bite wound with strong soap and water as soon as possible. Then contact  a physician and relate the circumstances of the bile in­cident. The doctor will decide if treat­ment is required; then contact your Animal Control Dept. at 636-475-7405 or your Police Dept. at 636-475-4498 to report the  Bite Case.

6.   What should be done with the biting animal?

Try to contain it. If successful, pen the animal where other animals or people cannot come in contact with it. Don’t put yourself or others in danger. If you can not catch the animal, let it go. Animal Control will catch and remove the animal for observation of the rabies virus. The  Officer will need to get information about the case. 

 

7.   How long will the animal be con­fined for observation?

Dogs and cats will be confined for at least 10 days. If the animal had rabies at the time of biting, it usually will die with­in 10 days. Stray or wild animals will not be held f6r observation; they will be euthanized immediately by the Department of Animal Control and the brain ex­amined for rabies by the Department of Environmental Science.

8.   What should I do if my pet is bitten by a suspected rabid animal?

Consult a veterinarian. If the pet has been vaccinated, there is little danger, but re­member no vaccine is 100 percent effec­tive. Follow the veterinarian's instruc­tions regarding handling of the bitten pet Report the bite case to your Animal Control Officer.

9.   What should be done if hogs, sheep or cattle are bitten by a suspected rabid animal?

Consult a veterinarian for advice regard­ing the handling and possible disposal of exposed animals. Exposed animals may not be slaughtered for food until all pos­sibility of developing rabies has passed.

10. Do all animals bitten by a rabid animal develop rabies?

It depends on the type of bite, location of the bite, and the amount of virus in the saliva. It is generally accepted that a wound producing bite of a known rabid animal will cause rabies infection.

11. Is there a cure for rabies?

No, once the symptoms of rabies appear, death usually follows in a few days. When exposure to a rabid animal occurs, a preventive rabies treatment can be given which should prevent the disease.

12. Can rabies be prevented?
In pet cats and dogs, yes. There is a vaccine that veterinarians can administer to protect these animals.

All Bite Cases are required  to be reported  in the City of Pevely.

All pets are required to be vaccinated  and registered with the City of Pevely for the rabies virus.