30 new cases of rabies in our county

[China_cat]

in the last week. Thirty more cats and dogs destroyed before they passed it on even further. All because people don't 'believe' in vaccination.

[Coventina]

1. That is really scary. Rabies is some serious shit.

Have you read the CDC web-page on rabies?

Many human cases have never been determined on how they got it.
Maybe they pet a sick stray?
(I did a few weeks ago)

[kestrel91316]

6. I think in the US currently most human cases they find to be

infected with the strain of rabies found in bats. They just can't figure out how/when the person got exposed to the bat. I think many of these are probably due to a bat getting into the house at night when the person is sleeping and either they never notice, or they don't understand the significance of this if they do find the bat, and don't go in for treatment.

[kestrel91316]

2. Where are you located??

That is a seriously out of control rabies problem!

[regnaD kciN]

3. Indeed...

That's a very high number. I notice the original poster is in Charleston, South Carolina. Is there some major rabies source among wild animals out there that are coming into contact with pets?

A few years ago, I was told by my vet that there hadn't been a single documented case of a pet contracting rabies in Washington state in years.

[China_cat]

4. Charleston, SC

We are a rabies epidemic state and have been for 35 years at least.

These 30 cases bring the total for the COUNTY up to 41 for this year. I haven't looked to see what the state total is.

[kestrel91316]

5. Here in Los Angeles County the last case of domestic animal rabies

diagnosed in the county was in 1987. It was a cat. I am the vet who diagnosed and reported it (my 15 minutes of fame).

People in SC need to get off their patooties and start vaccinating their pets before somebody's kid gets rabies and dies. This disease is 100% preventable.

Is the wildlife source raccoons or skunks? Skunk rabies is very easily spread to dogs and cats because of the skunk's behavioral habits, I think.

[China_cat]

7. Lots of raccoons and skunks

and people insisting on building in areas that are normally their habitat. We've had a lot of bats diagnosed as carriers, too. A few years back we had 18 or 20 kids have to take the shots from handling an infected litter of kittens in a pet store.

And even though our health department holds rabies clinics every year where you can get the shots and the tags for $3, people still refuse to vaccinate because 'it's all a plot to get your money' or 'they're overvaccinating our kids and pets and they don't need any of them' or some other excuse for what boils down to just plain laziness.

[kestrel91316]

10. There is no more excuse for this sort of ignorance IMHO

With internet access available at any public library in the country there is no need for anybody to be so ignorant, but there you go. This country is going to hell in a handbasket because people would rather thump their bibles and live in a faith-based world than read nonfiction and get informed about FACTS in this reality-based world we live in.

Ok, be my guest, let your pets get rabies. Just don't ask me, the taxpayer, to foot the bill when Fido goes "Cujo" and you and your 15 kids all need rabies shots.

There. Now I feel better - done ranting. :argh: :argh: :argh:

[regnaD kciN]

12. I hate to bring it up...

...but is there any correlation between a state having a rabies epidemic and tending to elect Republicans? ;-)

[kestrel91316]

13. IIRC, rabies problems are more common in

the upper Midwest, TX, all of the south/southeast, and up the eastern seaboard especially into PA. As much as I would like to blame the RW, I cannot necessarily make that assumption. The wildlife species that are prone to rabies are more common in these states. BUT the states themselves could perhaps take greater measures to control the spread of rabies into domestic animal populations and maybe they don't because they don't want to spend the $$.

[Lisa0825]

8. WOW!

I got bit by a neighborhood stray about 6 months ago, and while I was trying to decide whether to get the shots or not, I investigated the local stats. There hasn't been a case of rabies in a domesticated animal in my county in over 25 years! I certainly hope they figure out what the problem is so no more pets will have to be get sick and be put down! That's really a shame! :cry:

[China_cat]

9. The biggest problem

is that people are not getting their pets vaccinated. (Or their kids, for that matter) Vaccination would seriously reduce the risk to pets and the people they live with.

[kestrel91316]

11. The "problem" is wilful ignorance and stupidity on the part of humans