What is Rabies?
Rabies is a virus that is always fatal to any animal that contracts the virus and show symptoms. Rabies in humans can be prevented if treatment begins soon after exposure and before symptotms develope. Early symptoms in humans include headache, fever, and sometimes pain or tingling at the site of exposure. The disease rapidly progresses to agitation, confusion, paralysis, and difficulty swallowing. Most patients die within a few weeks of onset. One to six humans a year die from rabies. There have been two human cases of rabies in Washington since 1939. The cases were caused by a bat strain of rabies in 1995 and 1997. Rabies vaccination is required for dogs here in Whatcom County but not currently for cats. The last case of rabies in Washington was reported in November of 2002. It was an unvaccinated cat that had exposed a number of humans in Walla Walla. The two family dogs were overdue for their rabies vaccines so they have to go through a six month quarentine with no human or animal contact. This stresses the imporance of vaccinating for Rabies in our pets. They act as a barrier between humans and wildlife that may spread the disease.
RABIES FACT SHEET |