Health Unit Wants You To Know The Facts About Rabies

Hello time traveller!!
This article is 3263 days old.
The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.

May is Rabies Awareness Month in Ontario, and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is reminding pet owners to protect their pets and parents to protect their family.

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal. In Canada, bats, foxes, skunks, and raccoons are the most common transmitters of the disease.

The Health Unit says that even though animal rabies cases have dropped significantly over the years, it is still a concern.

They are reminding pet owners to vaccinate their pets against rabies. Vaccinating your pet is the key to preventing the spread of the disease.  By law, in Ontario, cats and dogs over 3 months of age are required to have their rabies vaccine.  They also suggest to keep pets away from wild animals and unknown pets, and to keep pets on a leash.  Allowing them to wander natural areas may expose them to rabid animals.

They also suggest that you talk to children about the importance of not petting animals they don’t know, and to teach children at a young age about how to and how not to interact with animals.

Should someone get bitten or scratched by an animal, they advise to wash the wound with soap and water right away. Get the contact information from the animal owner if you can, and see a health care provider right away for medical attention.

They also ask you to report the incident to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit at 519-258-2146 and ask for the Health Inspection Department. A Health Inspector will investigate the incident.