HHS HealthBeat (August 27, 2010)

Keeping rabies from your pets

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Between 7,000 and 10,000 animals are diagnosed with rabies in the United States in a given year. Typically, the cases are in wildlife. But those animals can infect a pet such as a dog or a cat. And when people get exposed, it’s typically from a pet.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Charles Rupprecht says that’s why keeping your pet’s vaccinations up to date is good for people, too. There are other ways to be a pet protector:

"Keep pets indoors or on a leash when they’re outside, so they’re less likely to come in contact with wildlife. Place pet food and water inside to help keep wild animals away." (9 seconds)

Rupprecht notes that the rabies vaccine schedule for people has been updated, so most people will need fewer shots if they’re exposed.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 21, 2011