what species are required to get a rabies vaccine in massachusetts

While the transmission of rabies to humans is rare in Massachusetts, the disease shouldn't exist taken lightly. More v,000 animals have tested positive for this extremely fatal affliction in the Commonwealth since 1985, including some household pets. The Rabies Control Program from the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) offers resources to aid y'all recognize symptoms, study possible rabies cases, and reply to exposure.

Recognizing and Reporting Rabies

Rabies may exist found in a variety of animals native to the Commonwealth, including raccoons, skunks, bats, woodchucks, and foxes. These animals tin can infect humans and pets, and so residents should understand the symptoms of rabies in Massachusetts wild animals and stay clear of possibly infected animals.

According to the Centers for Affliction Control and Prevention (CDC), some clinical signs of rabies in animals include:

• Abnormal or aggressive behavior;
• Lethargy, weakness, or paralysis;
• Self-mutilation;
• Seizures;
• Excessive salivation; and
• Difficulty animate or swallowing.

If y'all encounter wildlife that may be infected with rabies, do non approach. Keep a condom distance and report sick animals to your:

• Local police force; or
• Municipal Animal Control Officer.

Protecting Pets from Rabies

Pet owners demand to exist particularly aware of rabies. Wild animals are known to expose domesticated pets to the disease during fights or other interactions. Fortunately, in that location are some practical solutions to protect your pets against rabies.

• Vaccinate Pets — The rabies vaccine for dogs, cats, and ferrets is a requirement under Massachusetts law. Contact your veterinarian or a rabies clinic to ensure vaccinations are up to date. In rare cases of exposure, unvaccinated pets or other animals may have to exist euthanized.
• Keep Pets Close — Always watch pets when they are outdoors and continue them away from wildlife. Use a leash, continue pets in fenced areas, and never permit them roam free.
• Spay and Neuter — The CDC suggests spaying and neutering pets to reduce the potential for unwanted animals without vaccinations.
• Keep Wild animals Wild — Never keep a wild creature every bit a pet. For the most office, it is illegal in Massachusetts.
• Secure Holding — Bring all outdoor h2o or food bowls within, cover garbage, and repair holes in chimneys, cellars, porches, and other areas. This will keep wildlife away from your property and out of your dwelling house.

Dealing with Rabies Exposure

Rabies is transmitted through saliva, usually from a bite. Withal, exposure through open wounds, eyes, nose and the rima oris is possible. The illness is nearly e'er fatal for both humans and animals, just considering treatment in humans immediately after exposure is very effective, cases of rabies in humans are rare in the United States. Although 16,000 to 39,000 Americans receive a rabies vaccine after possible exposure each yr, co-ordinate to a CDC written report, only a few cases of human rabies have been recorded annually in recent decades. In gild to stay safety and healthy, you should follow DPH's guidelines if you or your pet might have been exposed to the affliction:

• Humans — Wash wounds with soap and h2o immediately for 10 minutes and call your medico or local board of health to determine if you should exist treated. Available vaccine treatments for exposure depend on past vaccination history, according to CDC guidelines. The CDC notes that the incubation period for rabies in humans ranges from days to years, and so information technology'south important to follow procedures, even if y'all don't immediately recognize you've had an exposure.
  • Classify the Fauna — If bitten or scratched by a wild animal, contact the local board of health or animal control officer to seek resource to locate the specific animal. If you are exposed to the disease by a true cat, dog, ferret, or cow, contact the municipal animal inspector, who will monitor the beast for symptoms for x days. If the animal does not show symptoms after this period, you are not at adventure for rabies.
  • Determine Vaccination Needs — Consult a healthcare provider or DPH to determine if you should receive a vaccine regimen. A two-dose vaccine administered over the course of three days is typical for individuals who have had previous rabies vaccines. A iv-dose treatment over the course of 2 weeks is recommended for people who have non been vaccinated for rabies. A human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) shot is too administered at the time of the first dosage for unvaccinated persons.
• Pets — Specific quarantine and vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats depend on whether they take been exposed to wildlife, take been exposed to other domestic animals, or accept bitten humans. A pet's vaccination history and the nature of exposure determine what procedure is followed. Confinement periods range from 10 days to six months, and various vaccination protocols are possible.

Bats and Rabies

In the United States, bats are the well-nigh common source of rabies infections in humans, according to the CDC. Have special care around these animals. Follow specific guidelines for preventing the spread of rabies by bats:

• Err on the Side of Circumspection — If you are woken upwardly by a bat or discover a bat near a mentally impaired individual, an intoxicated person, or an unattended child, try to safely capture the bat and get it tested for rabies. Bats accept small teeth, so it's often difficult to detect bites.
• Secure Your Home — Place screens on windows, cap chimneys, and close off electrical and plumbing openings to bat-proof your dwelling. Confine major home renovations to the calendar month of May or between August and mid-October when bats are hibernating or not raising young.
• Remove Bats from Living Areas — Close room doors, turn on lights, and open windows to encourage the bat to exit the house only if you are sure no contact was made.

In that location have only been 55 cases of human rabies in the United States since 1990, according to the CDC. By learning the signs and symptoms of rabies, y'all can make sure you, your family, and your pets are protected.

Comments or questions? Tweet us @MassGov or comment beneath.

Tags: animal health, animals, living in massachusetts, mass wildlife, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, pet care, pets, rabies, vaccination, veterinary, wild animals

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Source: https://blog.mass.gov/blog/health/rabies-in-massachusetts-what-you-should-know/

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