09/28/2026
💉 It's World Rabies Day, so let's talk about the disease nobody wants their pet to encounter, and why the rabies vaccine is so important. Here are 7 things you should know:
1. RABIES IS ALMOST ALWAYS FATAL ONCE SIGNS APPEAR. Rabies is a virus that attacks the nervous system. Once an infected animal begins showing clinical signs, the disease is nearly always fatal.
2. WILDLIFE CAN CARRY IT. Raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats are all common rabies carriers in the U.S.
3. WEIRD BEHAVIOR = KEEP YOUR DISTANCE. A wild animal that is unusually friendly, aggressive, confused, stumbling around, active during the daytime when it normally wouldn't be, or otherwise acting strangely should be left alone.
4. IT SPREADS THROUGH SALIVA. Rabies is most commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. It can also spread when infected saliva gets into an open wound or the eyes, nose or mouth.
5. IT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOK LIKE AGGRESSION. Rabid animals may become aggressive, but they can also become unusually affectionate, quiet, disoriented, or fearful. Other signs can include drooling, difficultly swallowing, staggering, seizures, and paralysis.
6. YOUR PET'S RABIES VACCINE REALLY MATTERS. Rabies vaccination has helped make human rabies deaths extremely rare in the U.S. In Virginia, dogs and cats are LEGALLY required to receive a rabies vaccine once they reach 4 months of age.
7. RABIES IS PREVENTABLE. Keeping pets vaccinated and away from wildlife is one of the best ways to protect them and the people around them.
One final thing: never try to handle or "help" wildlife that is acting strangely. Keep pets away and contact local animal control or wildlife authorities. Rabies may be rare, but it hasn't gone away.
