Animal Bites & Rabies

Rabies data in WDG and Ontario

Positive rabies results in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph area

Total number of animals found positive for (ALL STRAINS) rabies in WDG from 2015 to date: 18

Data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Positive rabies results in Ontario

Total number of animals found positive for rabies in Ontario from 2015 to date: 751

Data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

In Ontario, the rabies virus is mainly found in and spread by:

  • Bats
  • Skunks
  • Foxes
  • Raccoons
  • Coyotes

Other areas outside the WDG areas affected by all rabies virus strains include:

  • Niagara Region
  • Brant County
  • Halton Region
  • Waterloo Region
  • City of Hamilton

About Rabies

What is rabies?

Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) of warm-blooded mammals—including humans. Birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish do not get rabies.

Rabies is transmitted by the saliva of infected animals, through a bite, scratch, an open wound or contact with the mucous membrane—e.g., eyes, nose, or mouth.

How do you get rabies?

Rabies is transmitted—spread—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
Rabies in humans is almost always fatal

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.

After a rabies exposure, the rabies virus must travel to the brain before it can cause symptoms. This time between exposure and appearance of symptoms is the incubation period. It may last for weeks to months. The incubation period may differ based on:

  • the location of the exposure site (how far away it is from the brain),
  • the type of rabies virus strains
  • any existing immunity

In humans, the symptoms of rabies usually appear in two weeks to many months after the bite.   

There is no treatment for rabies once symptoms appear. The disease is almost always fatal.

The treatment for rabies after an exposure is called rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis, also known as rabies PEP. 

It can prevent rabies from developing if it is given soon after the bite or scratch and before any rabies symptoms appear.

  • Doctors usually give rabies vaccines in four visits over two weeks.
  • You should get rabies treatment as soon as possible after exposure to rabies.
  • Rabies treatment is safe and effective.
  • If you have had rabies treatment before, talk to your doctor to find out how many more vaccines you need. 

How to protect your family and pets

To prevent rabies, it is important to:

  • Avoid all contact with wild animals, including between pets and wildlife.
  • Ensure your dogs and cats have up-to-date rabies vaccinations. Under Ontario Regulation 567 it is required to keep your pet’s rabies vaccinations current.

Death most likely occurs within days of the start of symptoms therefore it is very important to get medical help if anyone suspects they have come in contact with a rabid animal.

Additional information can be found here:  OMAFRA: Rabies Symptoms in Humans

Types and symptoms of rabies in animals

An infected animal will display signs of rabies from three to twelve weeks after exposure. Infected animals may display a variety of clinical signs. The symptoms of rabies in animals can appear in two forms:

Dumb (Paralytic) rabies

  • Animals may become depressed and retreat to isolated places.
  • Wild animals may lose their fear of humans and appear unusually friendly.
  • Wild animals that usually only come out at night may be out during the day.
  • Paralysis of the head and neck:
    • Abnormal facial expressions
    • Excessive drooling
    • Drooping head
    • Sagging jaw
    • Strange vocal sounds
  • Paralysis of the body—usually begins in the hind legs and spreads to rest of the animal’s body.

Furious rabies

  • Extreme excitement and aggression.
  • Periods of excitement usually alternate with periods of depression.
  • Attacking objects or other animals.
  • Gnawing and biting their legs
  • Frothing at the mouth.

Additional information can be found here: OMAFRA: Rabies Symptoms in Animals

What to do if you or a pet may have been exposed to rabies

What to do if an animal bites or scratches you

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. If anyone suspects they or someone they know has been exposed to rabies they should immediately:

  • Wash the bite wound or scratch with soap and water as this can greatly reduce the risk of infection. The wound should be flushed out for approximately 15 minutes.
  • Call their doctor or seek medical attention immediately. 
  • Call WDG Public Health immediately at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4753 (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM) or after hours (after 4:30 PM) at 1-877-884-8653.

Public Health will help determine the risk of exposure to rabies and discuss if rabies post exposure treatment is necessary.

What to do if an animal bites or scratches your pet?.

  • Try not to touch your pet. There may be saliva from the animal on your pet’s fur.
  • Call your veterinarian to discuss the bite or scratch.
  • Call your local Animal Services office to report an animal bite.

Contacts regarding animal control by-laws and provincial’s rules can be found here:

  • County of Wellington:
    • (519) 837-2600
  • County of Dufferin:
    • (519) 942-3140
  • City of Guelph:
    • (519) 824-3091
What to do if you encounter a bat

Here are steps-by-step actions to take if you are exposed to a bat:

  • If you have been in direct contact (e.g., bitten, scratched, or exposed to bat saliva) seek medical attention immediately.
  • Wash the bite wound or scratch with soap and water immediately. This can significantly reduce the risk of infection.
  • If a bat is discovered in a room with a child or adult who cannot reliably recall any contact with a bat, or if they are distressed or crying, it’s advisable to seek guidance from your physician to assess whether rabies post-exposure treatment is required.
  • Call WDG Public Health immediately at 1-800-265-7293 ext. 4753 (8:30 AM to 4:30 PM) or after hours (after 4:30 PM) at 1-877-884-8653. 
    Public Health will help determine the risk of exposure to rabies and discuss if  if rabies post exposure treatment is necessary
  • Do NOT capture the bat yourselves. Call your local animal control services.
  • If there has been no direct contact with the bat, the bat should not be captured for testing and should be safely let out of the house.
    • To remove a bat from the house, the area with the bat should be closed off from the rest of the house, and people and pets should be kept out of the area.
  • If there has been direct contact with a bat, individuals should be instructed NOT to attempt to capture or kill the bat themselves, and a trained wildlife or animal control worker should be contacted to attempt to capture the bat.

Contact the following for local animal control services:

  • County of Wellington:
    • (519) 837-2600
  • County of Dufferin:
    • (519) 942-3140
  • City of Guelph:
    • (519) 824-3091
What to do if your pet or domestic livestock encounters a bat

Call your veterinarian to discuss the care of your pet.

Keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for your pet or domestic livestock.

Additional information can be found here:

Additional information can be found here:

More information

Additional resources

 

All information on this page was adapted from the City of Hamilton’s Rabies factsheet, OMAFRA and the CDC.