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Rabies Clinic
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RABIES
CONTROL PROGRAM A comprehensive community rabies control program involves the combined efforts of the health department personnel, along with our local Animal Control Officials, Police, SPCA, veterinarians, and responsible pet owners, all working together to prevent possible rabies exposure. The essential components of the community rabies prevention and control program include:
Since rabies is fatal, it remains a public health threat and causes a number of deaths per year in the United States and thousands worldwide. The Environmental Health Services unit provides the following activities: 1.) Animal Bite Investigations - a bite or other exposure to an animal which might have rabies may require medical treatment. Report all such exposures to the City of Vineland Police Department at 856-691-4111 or to the Health Department at 856-794-4131. Persons bitten by or exposed to a potentially rabid animal are advised to see a physician IMMEDIATELY. Biting animals are quarantined for a period of 10 days and observed for signs/symptoms of rabies. 2.) Specimens of animals that have died within 10 days after biting a person are delivered immediately to the NJDHSS Public Health & Environmental Lab for testing; 3.) Rabies immunization clinics for dogs and cats. Clinics are held in January and February each year. 4.) Inspection of kennels, pet shops, shelters and pounds to ensure compliance with the State laws and regulations; 5.) Rabies education programs offered to schools, civic groups, etc. 6.)
Enforcement actions to secure compliance with the state rabies
statutes. "What You Should Know About Rabies"
Rabies is caused by a virus which can infect all warm-blooded mammals, including man. The rabies virus is found in the saliva of a rabid animal and is transmitted by a bite, or possibly by a contamination of an open cut. Bats, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, foxes, cats, and dogs represent about 95% of animals diagnosed with rabies in the United States. Domestic farm animals and other wild animals may also become infected. Rodents such as rats, mice, chipmunks, and squirrels are rarely infected. Rabid animals are usually either very vicious and aggressive ("furious" rabies) or act stuporously and are partially or totally paralyzed ("dumb" rabies). They often have trouble walking and may appear to be "drunk". People should stay away from all wild and stray animals which are aggressive or appear to be sick. Some wild animals, such as raccoons, skunks, and groundhogs, may be infectious even though they appear to be normal, and these animals should be avoided at all times. What areas of New Jersey are affected the most? All areas of the State of New Jersey, including urban centers, have been affected by this rabies outbreak. Suburban areas in which raccoons, people and pets are in close proximity have had the highest number of cases. How can I protect myself from being exposed to rabies? Wild animals, particularly raccoons, foxes, skunks, groundhogs and bats, are most likely to be infected with rabies. Although raccoons are the most frequently infected animals in the current rabies outbreak, other animals are often bitten and infected by the raccoons. Wild animals with rabies do not always display signs of illness and can be perfectly healthy in appearance. Avoid all contact with bats, particularly sick or downed ones. All bites and scratches from these animals should be washed out immediately and receive prompt medical attention. If possible, wild animals that have been exposed to humans or domestic animals should be captured and tested for rabies. How do I "animal-proof" my house and yard? Make sure that all garbage is stored in animal resistant containers, as raccoons and other wild animals love to feast on your leftovers. Do not leave leftover pet food outdoors as it will attract raccoons. Make sure outbuildings are secure from invasion by raccoons and skunks looking for a cozy place to stay. Chimneys should be capped, as raccoons like to den in chimneys. Steps should be taken to exclude bats from houses and other structures by sealing the openings they use. This should be done during the winter (November-March) when bats have left for hibernation. The entry points are often near the roof edge such as under the eaves, soffits, and bands around the chimney. A variety of materials can be used to seal openings including ¼ inch hardware cloth, fly screening, sheet metal, wood caulking, expandable polyurethane, or fiberglass insulation. Do I still need to vaccinate my cats and dogs against rabies? Yes, unvaccinated domestic animals can contract rabies from wild animals and transmit the infection to humans. There are safe and effective vaccines to protect dogs, cats, horses, cattle, and sheep against rabies. You can get your pet vaccinated at a private veterinarian's office or at a municipal-sponsored rabies clinic (call you municipal clerk to ask about rabies clinics held in your area). Unvaccinated pets or livestock that have had contact with a known or suspect rabid animal must be euthanized to avoid the risk of coming down with rabies, or placed in strict isolation from humans and other animals for a period of six (6) months, until it is certain that the animal is free of rabies. Why recommend that domestic animals get vaccinated if raccoons are the animals spreading rabies: Raccoons are very good at spreading rabies. When rabid raccoons enter an area, many other types of animals acquire rabies from raccoons. From 1989 through 2000, over 4,300 New Jersey animals were found to have rabies as a result of the raccoon rabies epizootic. Although 77% of these animals were raccoons, 14% were skunks, 4% were cats, 2% were foxes, and 2% were groundhogs. Twelve other species of animals were also diagnosed with rabies. Can raccoons be vaccinated against rabies? An oral rabies vaccine for raccoons in a fish-flavored bait, called V-RG, has been tested in Southern New Jersey and shown to be effective. This vaccine has recently be approved for general use by the United States Department of Agriculture and could be used by municipalities to reduce or control the spread of rabies in raccoon populations. However, state review and approval is needed to purchase this vaccine and its use would not replace traditional rabies control measures, such as domestic animal vaccination and animal control activities. What should I do if I'm bitten or attacked by an animal?
If you are bitten by a wild animal: Try to confine and isolate, or kill the animal while taking care to prevent additional bites and exposures. If captured, wild animals must be tested at the state rabies laboratory. Human treatment to prevent rabies may be started immediately or delayed until the testing results are known. In cases in which the animal is unavailable for testing, a decision to start human preventive treatment is made by the bite victim and his/her physician based on recommendations from the local health department. If you are bitten by a dog or cat or other domestic animal: Obtain as much information about the animal as possible, including owner name, address, and telephone number, a description of the animal, and the animal's vaccination status. Biting dogs and cats should be kept under observation for 10 days from the time of the bite to ensure that they are free of rabies; if already showing signs of rabies at the time of the bite, they should be sacrificed immediately and tested for rabies. Dogs or cats which die or are euthanized within 10 days after biting a person must be submitted for rabies testing. Bites from other domestic animals (such as horses, cows, goats, and sheep) will be evaluated by your local health department; these animals can usually be observed for a period of 14 days to rule out the possibility of rabies. Why
does my dog or cat need to be observed if it bites someone? If
my ferret bites someone can my ferret be observed for 10 days? Can
I get rabies from a squirrel or a mouse? Why do animals need to be killed in order to be tested for rabies? Blood testing of suspect rabid animals is not a reliable method of diagnosis for rabies. The only sure method for determining if an animal has rabies is to remove a piece of its brain and look for the presence of the rabies virus under the microscope with a special fluorescent antibody test technique. Rabies virus infection most commonly occurs when a rabid animal bites an individual. Rabies can also occur when infected saliva from a rabid animal contaminates an open wound (one which was bleeding within the past 24 hours), a scratch or skin abrasion, or a mucous membrane. In addition to saliva and the salivary glands, tissues and fluid of the central nervous system (ie. brain and spinal cord) contain high amounts of the virus. Virus is rarely found in other body organs and fluids. People cannot get rabies by just petting an animal or even by getting saliva contaminated with rabies virus onto their intact skin. In order for them to get rabies, the virus must come in contact with a recent wound or break in the skin or the virus must get onto their mucous membranes (such as into the eye or mouth). However, any physical contact with a bat is considered a possible exposure to the rabies virus and should be carefully evaluated for the post-exposure rabies treatment. Bats have such tiny teeth that a bite may go undetected. What are the symptoms of rabies in humans? The following is a list of the clinical stages of human rabies infection. Not all of these symptoms may occur in every cases of human rabies: a. Incubation period - Usually 20 - 90 days, but may be as short as nine days; very rarely as long as several years. There are no symptoms during this period. b.
Prodromal Phase - 2 - 10 days c.
Acute Neurological Phase - 2 to 7 days d. Coma - 0 - 14 days e. Death - or extremely rarely, recovery Consult a doctor when you are bitten or scratched by any animal and report all bites to the Vineland Health Department at 856-794-4131. What is protocol for rabies post-exposure treatment? Rabies post-exposure treatment is no longer the painful process that it used to be. The current vaccines are much safer and more effective than the previously used vaccine. Post-exposure treatment begins with a dose of rabies immune globulin administered partially around the wound, if possible, and partially in the gluten region. This is followed by a series of five (5) vaccinations given over 28 days. This vaccine has been extensively used for over fifteen years with very few significant side effects. The vaccine is given in the upper arm, instead of the stomach. How to Protect Yourself from Rabies? Have Your Pet Vaccinated Against Rabies. Pets can become infected with rabies through contact with rabid wild animals. Because of this, it is important that your dog or cat have up-to-date rabies vaccinations. Because a current trend in the United States indicates that there has been a higher incidence of rabies in cats than in dogs in recent years, rabies vaccination is especially important for cats. Cats left outdoors to roam have a greater chance of exposure to rabid animals, but even indoor cats should be vaccinated, as occasionally they may get out and/or wild animals, such as bats or raccoons, may get into houses through open doors, windows, or uncapped chimneys. You should get your pet vaccinated at a private veterinarian's office or at a free state/municipal-sponsored rabies clinic. Do not feed or handle wild animals Especially avoid contact with all bats, raccoons, skunks, groundhogs, and foxes. It is illegal in New Jersey to keep these wild animals as pets. Take measures to prevent raccoons or bats from entering homes, barns, garages, and other buildings. Store all trash or pet food kept outdoors in animal-resistant containers. Avoid contact with strays or pets other than your own These
animals may bite or scratch you and may not be vaccinated for
rabies. Report stray animals to your local health department so
that the animal control officer can take them to a shelter. Stray
animals which are captured and impounded are held for a least
seven days so they can be reclaimed by their owner.
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