Rabies and Your Pet – Why Vaccination is Necessary

  • Published
  • By Dr. Heather Mazzaccaro
  • Hanscom Veterinary Treatment Facility
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. --  One of the many joys of pet ownership is the trip to the local veterinarian when the family dog or cat is pawing at the cage or door, ready to go. Unfortunately, many times these visits are stressful for pets and owners alike, yet it is imperative that pets are vaccinated for rabies.

Rabies is a viral disease of the brain and spinal cord which is fatal in animals and humans. It can be transmitted through an animal's saliva -- usually through a bite or scratch. Hundreds of animals, including cats; bats; skunks; foxes and raccoons, test positive for rabies in Massachusetts every year. In reality, not all rabid animals are easily identified by strange behavior, as they are in the movies. Vaccination is the best weapon in preventing this deadly disease and for protecting pets and their owners.

Summer scenarios can include the family dog escaping from the yard, chasing after a raccoon and ending up with a scratch on his face, or the cat coming back from a stroll around the neighborhood with a wound on her neck. If either of these pets were not vaccinated for rabies, the pet would need to be placed in a quarantine facility for six months at the owner's expense or be euthanized immediately. If the pet had an up-to-date rabies vaccine, however, that pet would be re-vaccinated and could remain under the owner's control and observation for 45 days.

A pet can also be caught off guard by a houseguest and respond by biting the person in the hand. If the pet were unvaccinated, it would need to be quarantined outside of the house for 10 days at a minimum. In some situations, the pet may need to be euthanized and tested for rabies.

Keeping pets' rabies vaccines current is vital to the safety of owners' families, neighbors and visitors, and the pets themselves. It is also mandated for all dogs, cats, and ferrets over the age of 12 weeks per Electronic Systems Center Instruction 48-131, and Massachusetts state law.

The vaccine is available for $13 at the Hanscom Veterinary Treatment Facility for pets belonging to military members or to retirees who are registered with DEERS. For more information, or to make an appointment, call (781) 377-3266 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Fridays.