RUSSELLVILLE, AR – As the temperatures start to plummet counties across the state are reporting a rise in rabies.
The fluctuation in weather has animals, stray and loose pets moving towards the incorporated areas in search for food.
Pope County has the highest numbers of any county reported since the beginning of the year.
The veterinary clinics there credit the majority of the rise in rabies to people simply reporting more because of their awareness of rabies and knowing the signs to report.
Veterinarians have worked to make their communities aware of actually how common the disease can actually be and the risk it can pose to them and their pets.
With this knowledge though, veterinarians say more work can be done to prevent the spread.
“Everybody’s doing a really good job of vaccinating their house dogs and their house cats,” explained Town and County Veterinary Clinic owner, Dr. Dale Kaufman. “It’s their barn cats and back yard and farm dogs where we’re having the problem. We’re also having incidents even in a horse and a pony.”
Experts expect this to only be a peak in the cycle and not something that continues through the summer.
The best thing they say you can do to protect yourself and pets from the disease is educating yourself on what to expect who when to report.
The fluctuation in weather has animals, stray and loose pets moving towards the incorporated areas in search for food.
Pope County has the highest numbers of any county reported since the beginning of the year.
The veterinary clinics there credit the majority of the rise in rabies to people simply reporting more because of their awareness of rabies and knowing the signs to report.
Veterinarians have worked to make their communities aware of actually how common the disease can actually be and the risk it can pose to them and their pets.
With this knowledge though, veterinarians say more work can be done to prevent the spread.
“Everybody’s doing a really good job of vaccinating their house dogs and their house cats,” explained Town and County Veterinary Clinic owner, Dr. Dale Kaufman. “It’s their barn cats and back yard and farm dogs where we’re having the problem. We’re also having incidents even in a horse and a pony.”
Experts expect this to only be a peak in the cycle and not something that continues through the summer.
The best thing they say you can do to protect yourself and pets from the disease is educating yourself on what to expect who when to report.
