Animal Exposures and Rabies
Rabies is a serious viral infection that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It affects warm-blooded mammals, including humans. Birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish do not get rabies. It is almost always fatal once symptoms begin, but it can be prevented with quick treatment after exposure.
WDG Public Health works to help prevent rabies within the community. Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) are responsible for investigating all animal incidents, like when a person is bitten or scratched to determine if there is any risk of a person getting rabies.
You can lower the risk of rabies by:
- Avoiding contact between people or pets and wild animals
- Keeping your dog’s and cat’s rabies vaccination up to date (required under Ontario Regulation 567)
- Keeping livestock vaccinations up to date where recommended
- Getting medical help immediately after any possible exposure
How rabies spreads
Rabies spreads from the saliva of an infected animal to another animal or human through:
- A bite
- A scratch or an open wound
- Contact with the mucous membranes of eyes, nose, or mouth
The most common transmission of rabies is through a bite. In Ontario, the most common animals diagnosed with rabies are:
- Bats
- Skunks
- Raccoons
- Coyotes
- Foxes
There are two forms of rabies in animals: dumb rabies and furious rabies.
Some animals can show signs of both forms. Animals with rabies may show symptoms 3–12 weeks after infection.
More information
What to do after an animal exposure
Don’t wait for symptoms to appear. Take immediate action if exposure to a rabid animal is suspected. There is no cure for rabies once symptoms start. Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (rPEP) treatment must be given as soon as possible before symptoms appear. If left untreated rabies is nearly always fatal.
Take these steps right away:
- Wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes.
- Seek medical attention immediately.
- Report the exposure to WDG Public Health:
- Animal Exposures Report online form
- Phone (8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.): 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4753
- After hours, weekends, holidays: 1-877-884-8653
Public Health will assess your exposure and let you know if rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (rPEP) is needed.
- Try not to touch your pet—there may be saliva on their fur.
- Call your veterinarian.
- Report the bite to Animal Services if you want the animal investigated:
- Wellington County: 519-837-2600
- Dufferin County: 519-942-3140
- City of Guelph: 519-824-3091
If there was direct contact (i.e., bite, scratch or possible saliva exposure)
- Get medical attention immediately.
- Follow the steps for human exposure above.
- Do NOT try to capture the bat.
- Contact a licensed wildlife or animal control service:
- Wellington County: 519-837-2600
- Dufferin County: 519-942-3140
- City of Guelph: 519-824-3091
If a bat is found in a room with a child or someone unable to confirm contact
Contact your physician to see if rabies post-exposure treatment is required.
If there was no direct contact
- Do not capture the bat.
- Close the room, keep people and pets out and let the bat leave on its own through an open window.
Rabies Treatment
Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) prevents rabies from developing after a bite, scratch, or saliva exposure.
- Must be given before symptoms appear
- Usually involves four vaccine doses over two weeks
- Is safe and effective
- If you’ve had rabies treatment before, your doctor will determine how many doses you need now
- Rabies has no cure once symptoms begin.
- Rabies symptoms typically appear 2 weeks to several months after exposure.
- The virus must travel from the wound to the brain before symptoms start—this is called the incubation period.
The incubation period depends on:
- How close the exposure was to the head
- The strain of rabies virus
- A person’s immune status
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
Immediate medical attention after exposure can save your life.