Signs & Symptoms: Symptoms begin with pain at the bite area and flu-like symptoms which progress to mental changes like irritability and anxiety. Symptoms progress further to hallucinations, muscle paralysis, foaming at the mouth, fear of water (hydrophobia), feelings of terror, and seizures, and death.

Spread: Rabies is primarily a disease of animals but it can cause a serious infection in humans. The virus enters the body by a bite or scratch from an infected animal. The most common animals to be infected with rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, cats, dogs, squirrels, and coyotes.

Who is at risk: Anyone bitten or scratched by a rabid animal

Prevention: All cats and dogs that are kept as pets should be vaccinated for rabies. Do not try to “pet” wild animals like squirrels or rabbits. Stay away from animals acting strangely or foaming at the mouth and report these animals to the local health department.

“I love rats, bats and feral cats”