With rabies currently in the news after a tragic incident on Vancouver Island, we felt it important to highlight the important role veterinarians play in the control and prevention of rabies in domestic animals. Rabies is a zoonotic disease that can be passed to humans and is almost always fatal without post-exposure treatment. Along with other precautionary measures to reduce human and domestic animal exposure to the rabies virus, it is vitally important that dogs/cats/ferrets are vaccinated against rabies as per veterinary protocol. In most cases, domestic animals will be vaccinated at 16 weeks of age and boosted per established guidelines. Indoor animals are recommended to receive the rabies vaccine as exposure may still happen if a pet accidentally gets out of the house or if a wild animal, such as a bat, gains access to indoor areas.
For further information, please contact us, and we are happy to discuss the right vaccination protocol for your pet.
Written by: Petroglyph Animal Hospital
