09/28/2026
🚨 RABIES IS STILL HERE AND YES, PETS CAN GET IT. 🦇🐱
Rabies might feel like something we don't have to worry about anymore, but Texas is still seeing cases, including in our own pets.
According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 213 animals tested positive for rabies in Texas from January through May 2026.
And here's the part every pet owner should know:
🐶 6 dogs tested positive
🐱 12 cats tested positive
➡️ That's 18 confirmed cases of rabies in dogs and cats in just five months.
In May alone, 6 cats tested positive for rabies.
Wildlife such as bats, skunks, and raccoons are important sources of rabies exposure, but our pets can be exposed when they encounter infected wildlife, even if they spend most of their time indoors.
The good news? Rabies is preventable.💙
✔️ Keep your pet's rabies vaccine current
✔️ Avoid contact with wildlife
✔️ Never handle a wild animal that appears sick, injured, or unusually friendly
✔️ If your pet has contact with wildlife, contact your veterinarian right away
In Texas, dogs and cats are required to be vaccinated against rabies by 4 months of age.
One vaccine can protect your pet, your family, and your community. 🐾
Rabies is always fatal once clinical signs appear. Prevention matters.
📊 Source: Texas Department of State Health Services, Rabies Surveillance Reports, January–May 2026.
