About rabies
What to do if you suspect rabies
Handling dead rabies suspect animals
Handling live rabies suspect animals
Specimen pick-up and submission required
Destruction of rabies suspect animals


About rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted from any warm-blooded animal to other warm-blooded animals or to humans through the injection of saliva containing the virus either by a scratch or a bite. Scratches or bites should be reported to the Public Health Unit at (519) 352-7270. Throughout the course of the disease, the virus can only be transmitted 3 to 10 days prior to death. This time is known as the period of communicability.

There are two forms of rabies. The first form which is the most commonly known, is furious rabies. The second is dumb rabies. Furious rabies causes a major change in the infected animal's behaviour and the animal becomes aggressive. The animal tends to lose all fear and is prone to attack any other animal or person it may encounter. Dumb rabies, causes the infected animal to become placid and sometimes immobile. This tends to make people believe that the animal is actually tame.

Both forms of rabies have similar symptoms, such as drooling or froth at the mouth due to paralysis of the throat muscles. There is also the tendency for the infected animal to drag itself around as it loses motor function.

Other signs of rabies:

• Some animals may become depressed and retreat to isolated places.
• Wild animals may lose their fear of humans.
• Normally nocturnal animals may be active during the day.
• There may be signs of paralysis such as abnormal facial expressions, drooping head, weakness in the hind limbs, sagging jaw, or heavy drooling.
• Rabid animals may gnaw and bite their own limbs or they may attack objects or other animals.
• Periods of aggression can alternate with periods of depression.

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What to do if you suspect rabies

If you suspect that an animal is rabid, or you think that your animal has been exposed to rabies, you need to contact:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (District Veterinarian - formerly known as Dept. of Agriculture Canada Office)
10 Centre St.
P.O. Box 669
Chatham, ON
N7M 5K8
Telephone: 436-3145
Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

After hours and on weekends, an answering machine will receive information.

If it's a wild animal, stay away from it. Rabies is a reportable disease. If you suspect that an animal is rabid or you think that your animal has been exposed to rabies, you are required by law to report it. Call the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Office at 436-3145.


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Handling dead rabies suspect animals

• Do not touch the animal with your bare hands.
• All suspect cases of rabies must be reported to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Health of Animals. Although only specimens from dead suspect animals that have had known or suspected contact with humans, pets or livestock will be collected for testing.
• Contact with a rabid animal can be direct through a bite or a scratch or indirect if the saliva of an infected animal enters a mucous membrane or an open cut or wound. If you must handle the animal, wear gloves, take 2 new, clean garbage bags and place one inside the other. Turn the bags inside out over your hands and arms to protect them from touching saliva. Manoeuver the bag around the dead animal until the animal is in the bag.
• Tie the bag closed.
• Use a shovel to dispose of the carcass by burial or incineration, once the authorities have removed the head, if required.
• If you must handle the animal, wear gloves, take 2 new, clean garbage bags and place one inside the other. Turn the bags inside out over your hands and arms to protect them from touching saliva. Manoeuver the bag around the dead animal until the animal is in the bag.
• Isolate the dead animal from humans, pets and livestock.
  Keep the carcass in a cool spot.
• Seek medical attention for humans who have had contact with the dead animal.
• Contact the health unit who will consult with you and your physician about appropriate treatment.
• Seek veterinary attention for animals that have had contact with the dead animal.
• Contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Health of Animals to arrange pick up of a specimen of the dead animal for rabies testing. It takes 6-24 hours to get the results of the testing.
• Dispose of the remaining carcass by burial or incineration.
  If the rabies test is positive, CFIA's Health of Animals will advise you about quarantine of livestock and pets that have been in contact with the rabid animal.
• Public Health Services distribute post-exposure vaccine as necessary.

• Keep humans and other animals away from the suspect animal.
• Contact animal control in your area. If there is no animal control service, contact the Ministry of Natural Resources or local police.
• If possible, keep track of the animal's location.
• The landowner is responsible for containment of the suspect animal. Landowners should arrange for an agent to manage the situation, i.e a pest control professional, a licensed trapper or an animal control officer.
• It is important that when the animal is destroyed that the head is not damaged because the brain of the suspect animal is what is needed for testing.
• All suspect cases of rabies must be reported to Canadian Food Inspection Agency's Health of Animals. Although only specimens from the dead suspect animals that have had known or suspected contact with humans, pets or livestock will be collected for testing.