Rabies Challenge!

  1. Rabies is almost always fatal.

True!
With rare exceptions, once an animal shows symptoms of rabies, it has only days to live. But get this: In a recent survey, 1 in 4 pet owners got this answer wrong.

Please Try Again.
  1. All animals can get rabies.

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False!
Only mammals get rabies. Snakes (reptiles), amphibians (frogs) and birds do not get rabies.
  1. Dogs are the most common carriers of the disease.

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False!
Raccoons, bats, skunks and other wild animals are the most common carriers. But most people get rabies from dog bites.

What about your pets? Dogs aren't the only pets that get rabies. Cats and ferrets do, too. Even rabbits can get it (but they usually don't).

Keep your pets safe and healthy. Get them vaccinated!
  1. Rabies occurs all around the world.

True!
About 55,000 people die each year from rabies around the world. Ninety-five percent of those infections occur in Asia and Africa when a stray dog bites someone.

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  1. No one gets rabies in the United States any more.

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False!
However, this is almost true. Thanks to laws that require rabies vaccinations for pets, very few pets or people get rabies in the United States.

Of the 120,000 animals tested for rabies each year in the United States, fewer than 72 actually have it. Only 25 people have developed rabies in the United States and Puerto Rico from 2000 to 2007.

See more statistics from the US Centers for Disease Control.
  1. People get rabies when they get bit by an infected animal.

True!
Rabies is transmitted by saliva, so in addition to a bite, it’s possible to get rabies if an infected animal licks you.

Here is one very unusual case of rabies: Two men developed rabies after cooking and eating meat from infected animals.

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  1. If you get bit by a dog, and doctors aren’t sure whether it has rabies, the dog has to be killed.

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False!
The definitive test for rabies is called the direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test, and for that, the animal’s brain must be removed.

Usually, though, if a person is bit by a pet that shows no symptoms of rabies, the animal is kept under observation for 10 days. If the animal is still alive at the end of the 10 days, rabies is not generally considered a risk.

Tour the Rabies Lab as scientists dissect a rabid bat’s brain.
  1. Dogs need a rabies shot (vaccination) every year.

Please Try Again.

False!
Guidelines developed by the American Animal Hospital Association call for veterinarians to decide when to vaccinate based on state law, the pet’s age and other factors. Not every state required rabies vaccinations every year.

Your veterinarian can tell you what is the best schedule to keep your pet — and you — safe and healthy.
Find a veterinarian in your area.

Remember: Rabies is not just a dog’s disease. Cats and ferrets need vaccinations, too!

Spread the word about rabies

Especially for Kids
I Was Bit by a Rabid Raccoon! Read Sean’s Story
Rabies Facts for Kids
Tour the Rabies Lab As Scientists Dissect a Rabid Bat’s Brain
Puzzles, Coloring Sheets, a Quiz and More

September 28 is World Rabies Day. Has your pet been vaccinated? Be sure to talk to your veterinarian about what you can do to fight rabies where you live. And check out these sites to learn what you can do to help stamp out this fatal disease around the world.

World Rabies Day
Brief Overview
Healthy Pets Healthy People
Rabies Fact Sheet, Mayo Clinic