Bucks County Health Department Encourages Rabies Awareness

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Extra time outdoors means more time to spend with wildlife, but what that increased interaction comes increased risk of contracting rabies.

In 2021, the Bucks County Health Department has reported three cases of rabies in Bucks County wildlife. In 2020, the department reported 15 cases.

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that affects mammals, and is most often transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.

Health officials say it's important to know the signs and take precautions when around animals, both wild and domestic, this spring and summer.

Rabies invades the central nervous system, causing a variety of symptoms in humans such as fever, headache, fatigue and muscle aches. Human deaths in the United States are rare if treatment is received quickly following a bite or scratch by a rabid animal.

In animals, rabies is categorized in two forms. Furious rabies is characterized by aggression, daytime activity by nocturnal species, frothing and biting. Paralytic rabies presents as a lack of coordination and weakness in the hind limbs, and sometimes with an open mouth and drooling. In the latter case, an animal might even appear tame.

Foxes, raccoons, bats, skunks and feral cats are often the animals that hold the highest risk for rabies transmission. The Health Department cautions all residents to refrain from contact with these high-risk animals regardless of their behavior or appearance.

In the event a person is bitten or exposed to the animal's saliva or secretions, the individual should seek immediate medical attention and notify the Bucks County Health Department.

The Health Department also offers the following important rabies recommendations:

• Ensure that all household dogs and cats are vaccinated against rabies; state law requires household dogs and cats over three months of age to be properly vaccinated
• Keep a watchful eye on pets while in an outdoor setting
• Do not make any wild animal a household pet
• Be especially careful with feral cats, as they have an unknown vaccination history and are exposed to wildlife that may have rabies
• If an animal appears sick, wounded, or behaves in a strange manner, the animal should be considered suspect for rabies and should not be handled
• If exposed to the secretions or saliva of a potentially rabid animal, immediately clean the affected area with soap and water and seek medical assistance as soon as possible

For additional information pertaining to rabies awareness and other public health threats, contact the Bucks County Health Department at 215-345-3318, or visit the department's rabies information page at buckscounty.org.

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