Rabies in animals: what to know

An infected animal may become restless, unusually tame, withdrawn, aggressive, or unable to move normally. Drooling, a changed voice, repeated biting, or difficulty swallowing can occur. Some animals may instead appear quiet and weak. These signs are not enough to diagnose rabies, and a healthy-looking animal can still require professional assessment after a bite or saliva contact. Do not rely on appearance to decide whether contact was safe.

Do not touch, feed, restrain, or transport an animal behaving strangely. Keep children and pets away, and contact local animal-control or public-health services for guidance. If you were bitten or scratched, wash the site with soap and running water and seek urgent medical care. Record the animal's location, description, and direction of travel only from a safe distance.

Arrange urgent assessment after a bite, a scratch possibly contaminated with saliva, or saliva entering broken skin, the eyes, nose, or mouth. Care is still needed when the animal is a family pet, the wound is small, or the animal cannot be observed. Confusion, trouble swallowing, spasms, or marked agitation are emergency symptoms in a person and need immediate help.

Ask how the contact should be classified, whether post-exposure treatment is needed, how to monitor the wound, and whom to notify about the animal.