Rabies Prevention

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In Pets
dog
  1. Visit your veterinarian with your pet on a regular basis and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats, ferrets, and dogs.
  2. Maintain control of your pets by keeping cats and ferrets indoors and keeping dogs under direct supervision.
  3. Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or vaccinated regularly.
  4. Call animal control to remove all stray animals from your neighborhood since these animals may be unvaccinated or ill.
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In People
dog
  1. Leave all wildlife alone.
  2. Know the risk: contact with infected bats is the leading cause of rabies deaths in people in the U.S., followed by exposure to rabid dogs while traveling internationally.
  3. Wash animal bites or scratches immediately with soap and water.
  4. If you are bitten, scratched, or unsure, talk to a healthcare provider about whether you need postexposure prophylaxis. Rabies in people is 100% preventable through prompt appropriate medical care.
  5. Vaccinate your pets to protect them and your family.
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Page last reviewed: June 11, 2019
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology (DHCPP)