Tomorrow is September 28th, World Rabies Day! This holiday is set in place to bring awareness to the disease rabies, cases of rabies in our country are currently rising. The CDC (Center of Disease Control and Prevention) is currently tracking 15 potential outbreaks. On average there are about 4,000 cases of rabies each year which mainly occurs in wildlife such as coyotes, raccoons, bats, skunks, and foxes. Last year in the state of South Dakota there were 12 reported cases, which were all animals. These cases were seen in one cow, one cat, and ten wild bats. Since 2017 there have been positive cases found in cows, cats, bats, dogs, goats, skunks, and raccoons. Rabies is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, which is why rabies cases commonly occur through bites. Rabies is not only spread through a bite, but also through broken skin  if bodily fluids such as saliva, blood, urine, or feces come into contact. Rabies can also be contracted if any of the bodily fluids listed before enters your eyes, nose, or mouth. It is important if you believe you have come into contact with a rabid animal or may be affected to alert authorities, this can be the local animal control agency or health department, and to get treated at a hospital with the rabies vaccination. It is always helpful to catch the animal, safely, if possible so the animal can be tested for rabies. Rabies testing is done by a brain biopsy in which a sample of brain tissue is sent off to the laboratory for testing, this is a huge part in why we stress rabies vaccinating your pet. If your pet bites anyone, bite laws across the country allow animals to be euthanized in order to submit their brains for rabies testing, unless a rabies vaccination is confirmed through certificate or veterinary clinic. In the state of South Dakota, a rabies vaccination is required Rabies is a deadly disease, by the time symptoms are presented it is already too late to treat. Rabies has an incubation period when symptoms are not present and could last as long as a few days to even one year, symptoms are only present when the disease has reached the brain and brain stem. Many times rabies is first presented with flu-like symptoms like a fever, headache, fatigue, and anxiety. There are two different ways rabies is presented one being furious rabies and the other being paralytic rabies. The most commonly known form is furious rabies, this is when symptoms are presented as hyperactivity, hallucinations, lack of coordination, and irrational fears. Paralytic rabies is lesser known and is the longer route of infection the victim’s muscles are gradually paralyzed starting from the bite wound. Once these symptoms are presents there is no cure and death will occur after a period of time, most commonly death occurs within 2-10 days but there have been cases of rabies lasting several years. Rabies is deadly, please vaccinate your pets.