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Rabies
What is rabies?
Rabies is a serious infection of the brain and spinal cord and is caused by a virus. Humans get the disease from the bite from an infected animal. Without treatment, rabies is fatal. Currently, the number of rabies cases in Windsor-Essex County is very low, but it’s important to remain watchful as the virus can enter the community at any time.
How do people get rabies?
Rabies is passed on through the saliva of an animal infected with the virus. If a person is bitten by an infected animal, the virus enters the blood. In North America, the animals most often responsible for biting humans are raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, and bats.
What about bats?
Most of the recent human rabies cases in Canada were because of a bat bite. Unlike other animals that carry rabies, bats are small and have needle-like teeth. If they bite you there may be no obvious marks and you may not notice that you have a bite. Because of this, seek medical attention immediately if:
• You are bitten by a bat.
• Saliva from a bat gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.
• A bat lands on you.
• You wake up and find a bat in your room.
• You find a bat in the room of an unattended child or person unable to report whether they had direct contact with the bat (e.g. an intoxicated person).
If a bat is found to be rabid, or if the bat is not available for testing, anyone exposed to the bat will be advised to receive post-exposure rabies treatment.
How can I protect my pet from rabies?
There are many things you can do to protect your pet from rabies. The most important is to have your pets regularly vaccinated for rabies. Other steps you can take include:
• Control of your pets by keeping cats and ferrets indoors and keeping dogs under direct supervision.
• Spay or neuter your pets to reduce the number of unwanted animals that may not be properly cared for.
• Call the Windsor-Essex Humane Society (519-966-5751) to report animal problems such as a stray running loose or an injured animal. They may be ill or unvaccinated and need to be treated.
What do I do if I am bitten by an animal?
If you’re bitten by any animal, such as a raccoon, dog, or bat, seek medical attention right away and report the bite to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit at 519-258-2146. We can then let you know what the next steps are that you will need to take. If you are bitten, it’s your responsibility to keep track of the animal that bit you. In the case of wildlife, this may involve hiring a professional to catch it.
For more information
Dog Bites - Canada Safety Council