We are entering the time of year when more people are bitten and otherwise injured by animals as a result of increased outdoor activities. One risk of being bitten by animals such as skunks, bats, and stray dogs and cats is that of developing rabies. Human rabies cases in the United States are not as common as they once were, thanks to modern vaccinations for dogs and cats, improved public health practices, and a more effective series of anti-rabies shots for persons bitten. However, the risk of rabies remains a potential health threat in Missouri, and persons bitten by a potentially rabid animal should seek medical evaluation.

According to Jackie Smith, Administrator of the Texas County Health Department, anyone who has been bitten by an animal, particularly a stray dog or cat or a wild animal, should wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for 10 to 15 minutes. If possible, and without further injury, try to capture or confine the biting animal so that it can be quarantined or tested for rabies (depending upon the species of biting animal). If the animal is destroyed, avoid damaging the head since the brain is the only specimen that can be tested for the presence of rabies virus. Persons should contact their physician to see if medical care (antibiotics, tetanus booster, etc.) is needed, and to have a rabies risk assessment made. They should also contact their local health department to seek assistance in obtaining proper disposition of the biting animal.

Rabies is a disease of mammals and is transmitted primarily through bites. Over 90 percent of reported rabies cases are wild animals commonly seen in neighborhoods and backyards, such as bats, skunks, and foxes. Vaccinated pets are the barrier between those animals and loved ones and public health experts want pet owners to know that by protecting their pets they also are protecting their loved ones.

Missouri health officials urge pet owners to visit their veterinarians and update their pets’ rabies vaccinations. “Pet owners need to understand how close the threat of rabies is to their families,” said Carolyn Bell, RN, communicable disease nurse at the health department. “It’s often as close as the skunk that walked through the back yard.”

Over the past 10 years, Missouri has seen almost 50 rabid animals each year, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. This number includes only those animals tested because they bit either a person or someone’s pet – there were undoubtedly many more rabid animals that went undetected. Most of the animals found to be rabid during this time period were bats and skunks, but the total also included foxes, cats, dogs, cattle, horses, and one goat.

For more information on rabies, contact Bell at the health department at 417-967-4131.