Health officials and local veterinarians are urging pet owners to vaccinate their animals.
The case marks the first reported rabies case in the county this year. The dog is believed to have come in contact with a rabid raccoon, however it’s not confirmed. Health officials and local veterinarians are urging pet owners to vaccinate their animals.
One vaccine can protect pets and families from a disease that has no cure.“Rabies vaccines, I cannot emphasize them enough. Not only are they required by law, for good reason, but it also is the best way to help prevent a disaster from hitting your family,” said Dr. Kileigh Speed, a veterinarian at Care Animal Center.“I think there’s a lot of people that think, oh, well, because we don’t see it every day, it’s not there. But you’ve heard in the last month or two, we’ve had multiple cases pop up. One was a dog,” Speed said.Beverly Spivey, district environmental director for the Alabama Department of Public Health, said exposure can happen in an instant. “They think that, oh, my dog stays in a pen or my dog or my cat stays in the house. But, you know, it only takes a split second. People just don’t realize how it’s out there and how easily it can be spread,” Spivey said. Speed said rabies can be transmitted through more than just bite marks. Bodily fluids, open wounds and even a scratch can infect.“Don’t sit and wait. Once clinical signs hit, there is no treatment. There is absolutely no treatment. So the longer you wait, the worse it could be. So the best thing you can do is preventive care,” Speed said. Symptoms vary depending on where the infection enters the body, which determines how quickly it reaches the brain. Once symptoms start, rabies is fatal.Speed recommends vaccinating pets every three years after the first two annual shots. Spivey said the vaccine is more accessible than most people think, with rabies clinics held across Alabama every year. “They absolutely should to protect themselves, as well as their family, young children, anyone. And they’re not expensive. It’s worth it,” Spivey said. “It’s not something that we see every day. When you do see it, it’s devastating. So I don’t want it to happen to anyone,” Speed said.Anyone who believes they have come in contact with rabies should contact their county’s department of public health and report any suspected wild animals. Download the WTVY News4 app to get alerts and stories the moment they are published. Available for FREE in the
Rabies Vaccination Vaccination Pet Vaccination Rabies Pet Vaccination Covington County Dothan Alabama Health ADPH Health Pet Health WTVY WTVY News4 WTVY News 4
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