West Norriton Park to Host Rabies Clinic

The Montgomery County Health Department will hold a Rabies Clinic at the Burnside Oakland Park in West Norriton, from 9 – 11 a.m., June 22.

The clinic is for dogs, cats and ferrets, and costs $10 per shot. According to the County’s website, each rabies vaccination lasts for a three-year period.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals, which can be received through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, which leads to brain disease and death.

The CDC described early rabies symptoms in people as similar to other illnesses, including:

• Fever
• Headache
• Weakness
• Discomfort

However, with the progression of the disease, more specific symptoms appear, such as: 

• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Slight or partial paralysis
• Excitation (state of excitement)
• Hallucinations
• Agitation
• Hypersalivation (increase in saliva)
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hydrophobia (fear of water)

According to the CDC, death usually occurs within days of the onset of the above symptoms.

The Montgomery County Health Department provides the following recommended precautions against rabies:

• Do not feed, befriend, handle or try to make pets of wild animals or stray domestic animals.
• Vaccinate domestic dogs, cats and selected livestock, according to your veterinarian's recommendations.
• Obey animal control ordinances, particularly not allowing domestic animals to run at large.
• If bitten by an animal, immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention from your doctor or hospital emergency room.
• After receiving appropriate medical care, contact the Montgomery County Health Department so an epidemiological investigation can be initiated to determine whether post-exposure rabies injections are required.  

The county requests that all animals must be leashed or in an approved carrier upon participating in the Rabies Clinic.

For more information, visit the Montgomery County website or call 610-278-5117.