How to avoid rabies | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Madeline Kennedy
September 2, 2015
CDC veterinarians administer a rabies vaccination to a dog. (Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.)
Rabies is a serious viral disease that can be transmitted from infected mammals to humans through a bite, a scratch or whenever animal saliva might come into contact with broken skin. Rabies can be found in wild animals such as raccoons, opossums, foxes or bats. It can also be transmitted to domestic animals, including cats and dogs, by infected wild animals.
Treatment for human exposure to rabies is most effective when administered soon after a bite or exposure to a rabid animal. Rabies in humans is nearly always fatal if treatment is not obtained quickly.
The Milwaukee Health Department reminds residents to take precaution around wild or stray animals. If you find a bat or other animal that may be infected in your home, health officials advise safely capturing and containing the animal until a public health official or physician can be consulted.
To limit exposure to animals that may be infected, health officials advise:
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To report human exposure to a bat or animal that may have rabies, contact your local public health department. In Milwaukee, call (414) 286-3521. For more information, visit www.milwaukee.gov/health.