Indoor Cat Gets Rabies, Bites Owner

"Why does my indoor cat need the rabies vaccine? He never goes outside."

The short answer is that bats come inside and sometimes indoor cats go outside.  Rabies is fatal and is transmissible to people. Protect yourself and your family by vaccinating your cat!

A Georgia couple found this out the hard way Last month. Their cat was overdue for the rabies vaccine when it bit the owner and then died.   The cat tested positive for rabies so the owner and his fiancé are both undergoing treatment.  If the cat had run away and died, the owners may not have known that they were exposed to rabies until it was too late. Here is a link to more information on that case.

Rabies vaccine is required by law in Oconomowoc, yet many of our clients choose not to vaccinate their cats for rabies. The risk of their cat getting rabies is certainly low but the consequences could be deadly to the cat, and to human family members as well.

As veterinarians, we work hard to keep pets healthy. Many people don't realize that we also take our role in human health very seriously too. Your pediatrician may not think of pet health and how it relates to keeping your children healthy but we do. Rabies and intestinal parasites are the two things we worry about most.  

Veterinarians recommend deworming pets and checking annual fecal exams, not just because worms are disgusting, but because some intestinal parasites can transmit from pets to people.  About 10% of the fecal samples we test are positive! 

Keep your pets healthy, keep your family healthy: keep pets current on rabies vaccine, fecal exams and deworming.

For more information on rabies, see this CDC website

For more on intestinal parasites, see this CDC website

Prepare for Disaster with Your Pet in Mind

Thankfully we don't get hurricanes in Wisconsin, but we do see flooding, tornadoes and other disasters, sometimes with no warning at all.  While many of us are sending money for relief efforts after Superstorm Sandy, we should also take some time to prepare here in Wisconsin. A little disaster preparation can really help, especially for pet owners.  Listen to Linda's story about Rock River flooding a few years ago.

Many pets are left behind when disaster strikes. When food and water are in short supply, it can be hard to provide for our four legged friends. Here are some suggestions to help prepare:

• Have your pet microchipped. If you are separated from your pet, the microchip will help you find them if they end up at a shelter or veterinarian's office.
• Make a disaster kit. Include things like a flashlight, cash and food and water for both you and your pet. Banks and ATM's may not be functioning if the power is out and pet food may be hard to find. Clean drinking water is most important in survival situations.
• Leash and pet carrier. Pets and people can get very stressed and upset in disaster situations. Keeping pets contained can keep them safe. 

Check out other suggestions at hallettvet.com and start building your pet friendly disaster kit now.