Rabies is a public health issue because it is a viral disease that is fatal in mammals, including man and domestic pets (dogs, cat, livestock, etc.) The San Bernardino County Animal Care & Control Program enforces the State laws that require all animals involved in a bite or scratch on a human to be quarantined.
Rabies is a disease caused by a virus (Lyssavirus) found in the
saliva of infected animals and is transmitted to other warm-
blooded animals, including humans by a bite, scratch, or
possibly by contamination of an open cut. Deadly and
costly, rabies ranks as one of the top zoonotic diseases in
the United States and the world.
Symptoms
The rabies virus infects the central nervous system (CNS),
causing swelling in the brain and ultimately death. Early
symptoms of rabies are nonspecific, consisting of fever,
headache, and general illness. As the disease progresses,
neurological symptoms appear and may include insomnia,
anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation,
hallucinations, agitation, hyper-salivation, difficulty
swallowing and hydrophobia (a fear of water). Death usually
occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.
Prevention
Rabies is a preventable disease. Modern day preventions have proven nearly 100% successful. In the United States, human fatalities associated with rabies occur in people who fail to seek medical assistance, usually because they are unaware of their exposure. Over the last 100 years, rabies in the United States has changed dramatically. More than 90% of all animal cases
reported to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
now occur in wildlife; before 1960 the majority of cases were
reported in domestic animals. The principal rabies hosts
today are bats, skunks, raccoons, foxes, and coyotes. The
decline in cases of domestic animals is attributed to animal
control programs and the vaccination of companion animals.
How You Can Help
Prevention and education are the keys to keeping you, your family, and your pets safe from the disease. Listed below are ways to prevent exposure:
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Vaccinate your pets. Dogs are required to be vaccinated for rabies at four (4) months of age. Cats can be vaccinated as early as eight (8) weeks. The first rabies vaccine is effective for one (1) year.
After that initial shot, your pet should be re-vaccinated
every three (3) years. |
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The San Bernardino County Animal Care & Control
Program provides low-cost Rabies Vaccination and Dog
Licensing Clinics generally during the months of May
through July, since that is when most vaccines expire.
However, if your vaccine expires at another time you can
take your pet to your local veterinarian’s office to receive the shot. |
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Teach your children to respect wildlife, but keep a safe
distance. DO NOT feed, harass, or provide shelter for
wildlife on your property. |
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Report any bite or scratch from a domestic or wild
animal to the San Bernardino County Animal Care &
Control Program at 1-800-472-5609. |
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Report dead, sick, or nesting bats immediately to San
Bernardino County Animal Care & Control at 1-800-472-5609.
DO NOT attempt to touch or confine the animal. |
24 hour help line
1-800-472-5609
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