Rabies Awareness in California
Frequently, we are asked why dog licenses are required. The reason can be summed up with two words – RABIES CONTROL. Rabies is a zoonotic (which can pass between humans and other animals) that has existed for thousands of years. Rabies is a virus that causes infection and disease to the nervous system. It is passed from the saliva of an infected mammal. Once clinical signs of rabies occur, it is almost always fatal. However, there are ways to stop the spread and avoid exposure. Mission Viejo Animal Services (MVAS) is committed to public safety and battles the rabies virus through different means like vaccine/license enforcement, quarantines of biting animals, testing of wild animals suspected of rabies and public education.
Although rabies vaccines are not a cure, it does slow the spread. Since rabies is still prevalent among wildlife, it is a lawful requirement that all dogs are vaccinated for rabies due to the frequent encounters they can have with indigenous wildlife. Dogs that have bitten a person are placed under quarantine to ensure clinical signs of rabies are not present in the dog. Generally, a vaccinated dog will show clinical signs of rabies within days, but it can take weeks to months for it to show in humans—making it important for the dog to be cleared by a public health official. Wild animals that have bitten a human or a pet are impounded and tested for rabies. Most of the rabies positive cases in California come from bats. If your pet encounters a bat, or one is seen in an area occupied by the general public, it should be reported to your local animal services agency to have it removed and tested. Often, a person who is bit by a bat will not realize it.
California had 260 rabies positive animal tests in 2019. Our continued work and your reports for bite exposures help keep the number of rabies deaths to humans as close to zero as possible. Once it is determined that you could have been exposed, your doctor can discuss postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) depending on the bite circumstances and if the animal is available for testing/ quarantine.
For more information on the rabies virus and treatments, visit the following links.
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Rabies.aspx
https://www.rabieswatch.com/en/families