Over the past week, the Fond du Lac County Health Department has experienced increased calls regarding contact between bats and pets or humans. “When people or their pets have been exposed to a bat, there is potential exposure to rabies, so we want to be sure residents understand how to protect themselves and their pets” states Kim Mueller, Fond du Lac County Health Officer. Here are a few reminders to decrease your risk, and your pet’s risk, of being exposed to rabies:
- Be sure your dogs’ and cats’ rabies vaccines are up to date. If you’re not certain, check with your veterinarian. By vaccinating your pet, you are also protecting family members from potential exposure.
- Dogs five months and older are required to be vaccinated for rabies in Wisconsin.
- Even indoor dogs and cats should be vaccinated to protect them if they should get outside accidentally, or if they are exposed to rabid bats that get inside the house. In addition, unvaccinated animals that bite a person are subject to strict quarantine.
- Any direct contact between a pet and a bat should be considered a potential exposure to rabies, even if you do not see evidence of a bite. The rabies virus is contained in the bat’s saliva and can be transmitted if the saliva comes in contact with a scratch or other open wound. Consult your veterinarian to evaluate the risk and decide whether a rabies booster is in order for your pet. Contact the Fond du Lac County Health Department to determine if the bat should be tested for rabies.
- To safely remove a bat from your home for testing, the CDC recommends: Wear a long sleeved shirt, long pants, and leather work gloves. Find a sturdy box or container large enough to hold the bat and a piece of cardboard big enough to fit over the opening of the container. Put the container over the bat, and then slide the piece of cardboard between the bat and the surface it landed on. Securely tape the cardboard to the container. If the bat needs to be submitted for testing, place it in a cool location, but do not freeze it, and avoid damaging the head of the bat, both affect the ability of the lab to perform testing for rabies.
If you are bitten by a bat or other animal it is important to seek medical advice to assess your risk of rabies exposure along with treatment for wound management. If you are bitten by a pet, the bite incident should be reported to the law enforcement agency in the municipality where the incident occurred.
