September 28 is World Rabies Day, and a good time for a reminder to keep pets protected from this zoonotic disease. Zoonosis refers to a disease that people can catch from other animals. Deadly rabies can’t be cured and affects a wide range of mammals, including people, so laws protecting human health are strictly enforced.

According to the World Health Organization, globally, nearly 60,000 people die annually from rabies. Thrive Pet Care notes that the U.S. reports fewer than five human cases per year thanks to stringent vaccination programs and public awareness.

Incidence of Rabies

In 2024, the top five states with the highest reported animal rabies cases include Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 90% of rabies cases in the U.S. occur in wildlife, including bats, raccoons, foxes, and skunks. Here in Texas, coyotes can pose a risk.

Domestic animals such as dogs and cats are at risk if unvaccinated or their vaccination is not up to date. Approximately 60-70 dogs and over 250 cats are diagnosed with rabies annually in the U.S.  It’s important to remember that all mammals can be infected with rabies, which illustrates the extreme importance of vaccination against the disease.

Since I live in Texas, keeping Karma-Kat, Trinity-Kitten, and Shadow-Pup protected means everything to me. Texas carefully tracks the disease with over 9600 cases reported in 2023. In Grayson County, 59 cases of rabies occurred in 2023, with the majority identified in dogs (28 cases), and 16 cases in cats. To date in 2024, more than 6000 cases have been reported in Texas.

Signs of Rabies

Rabies virus in an infected animal’s saliva gets transmitted primarily through bites. Once contracted and signs of acute encephalitis develop, the disease is nearly always fatal. Rabies symptoms vary. Victims may present with “dumb” signs of depression or extreme docile behavior, or “furious” signs of aggression, and one or more of the following usually develop within 10 days following exposure:

• Abnormal behavior
• Lethargy
• Fever
• Vomiting and anorexia
• Ataxia (staggering, incoordination)
• Weakness
• Self-mutilation
• Rapid progression to cerebral and cranial nerve dysfunction
• Paralysis
• Seizures
• Swallowing difficulties
• Excessive salivation
• Aggression

Rabies Vaccination Protection

“It’s not just dogs; cats and other household pets also need to be vaccinated against rabies,” said Dr. Anthony Coronado, Thrive Pet Healthcare’s Vice President of Emergency Medicine. “Many pets that contract rabies are exposed to wildlife. It’s either because they have not been vaccinated against rabies or their vaccination has lapsed.”

Pets must be protected with rabies vaccination by state law, because they come in such close contact with people and may transmit the virus to humans after being infected by a rabid animal. Texas requires rabies to be given by four months of age, followed by a booster a year later. Now with effective vaccinations labeled for three years, the revaccination protocols may vary depending on the needs of the individual pet. Some local laws (in rabies-endemic regions, for example) may still require annual vaccination. There also are some variations from state to state–see the specific state requirements here.

Indoor Pets Also Risk Rabies

Dogs or cats allowed outside risk wildlife encounters. But even those confined to yards, or the house could be exposed to “high risk” wildlife, which includes the skunk, coyote, fox, raccoon and bat. When sick, animals lose all fear and may wander into fenced yards, through pet doors, down chimneys, or attack litters of puppies or kittens.

Finding the dead animal where pets have access qualifies as exposure. Even when the skunk can’t be tested for the disease (too badly decomposed, or too damaged for brain analysis), the law requires it be treated as though rabid. Rabies transmits via saliva through bites from the infected animal. Pets can also be exposed by playing with the dead body or coming in contact with infective material.

What Happens to Pets Exposed to Rabies

The law offers you two choices after a pet’s suspected exposure:  either destroy (euthanize) the cat or dog and test them for the disease. Or follow a post-exposure prophylactic (prevention) program. You’ll find more details about rabies recommendations on the CDC website here. The specifics depend on whether or not the pet has been previously vaccinated for rabies.

Pets Previously Vaccinated for Rabies

Cats and dogs current on rabies shots immediately receive another rabies vaccination, followed by quarantine/isolation for 45 days. Isolation means the rabies-exposed pet may have NO contact with other domestic animals, and that only one person cares for the pet until the quarantine period expires.

Local authorities determine how to handle the isolation and may require you to board your pet for the 45 day period, which can get pricey. The Texas Department of Health allows quarantines to be conducted at the owner’s home, when possible.

Pets With No History of Rabies Vaccination

Pets that have never been vaccinated are quarantined for 10 days–no vaccination given during this period to avoid confusion of potential symptoms. If no signs develop, they receive a rabies shot, followed by two repeat boosters on the third and ninth week of a 90-day isolation period.

Don’t Play Rabies Roulette!

Rabies risk sends skunks (and other risky wildlife) into the open. Protect your cats and dogs with vaccinations. Shots not only cost less than a 90-day boarding fee, but they also save pet (and human) lives. The peace of mind comes free.