Rabies is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. The rabies virus can affect any mammal- human, pets, farm animals and wild animals. Wild animals that are most at risk to carry rabies virus include bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes. Rodents such as squirrels, mice and rats rarely become infected. In Canada, rabies is rare in humans, but is very serious. If rabies is not treated, it is almost always fatal.
The most common way to get rabies is by being bitten by an infected animal. It is also possible to get the virus if saliva or brain tissue from an infected animal enters through the eyes, nose, mouth or broken skin.
You cannot catch rabies:
There are different strains of rabies, such as bat strain and raccoon strain; however, in Nova Scotia, only the bat strain has been found in bats, two fox and a cat. Racoon strain of rabies has been found in New Brunswick, Ontario and the United States.
Symptoms usually appear one to three months after being bitten by an infected animal.
In humans, rabies causes severe agitation, throat spasms, confusion and disorientation. Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal.
For signs and symptoms of rabies in animals please visit: http://inspection.gc.ca/animals/terrestrial-animals/diseases/reportable/rabies/fact-sheet/eng/1356155202013/1356155379445
Rabies vaccine and antibodies can be effective at preventing the disease. These must be given before symptoms appear. Since the rabies vaccine is not routinely given to humans, you should contact Public Health:
First treat the bite.
If the animal that bit you is a pet that you know well - a dog, cat, or ferret—watch its behaviour for 10 days after the bite. If the animal is healthy and the behaviour has not changed after 10 days, then there is no risk that the bite could cause rabies. Check with a veterinarian if you are worried about the health or behaviour of the animal.
If the animal that bit you is wild, stray, feral, or if you don’t know the owner, call Public Health.
A bite may leave small marks that are hard to see, but you can only be bitten if the bat has landed on you or touched you. If a bat bites you or if you get saliva or brain tissue from a bat in your eyes, nose, or mouth, or in a wound:
Contact a veterinarian. Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for cats, dogs, and other animals.
To learn more about bats, bat-proofing, and the risks and benefits of bats, visit these websites:
batcon.org
novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/nuisance/bats.asp
cdc.gov/rabies/bats/index.html