Rabies: Preventable and rare, but very deadly

When most people hear the word ‘rabies,’ they either think of raccoons or people foaming at the mouth.

While this isn’t necessarily the wrong way to look at it, there are other things people should know.

For one, bats make up the largest portion of the rabies reservoir in Idaho. Bats won’t generally make an attempt to bite or attack you, but if you wake up with a bat in your room or house, that is grounds to go see a doctor.

It is also very important for people to know that you must capture the animal you suspect to be rabid. This is the way doctors can check and actually see whether or not you were exposed.

Unfortunately, for those who don’t get tested and go untreated, rabies is generally fatal. By the time signs and symptoms show up, it’s too late.

Rabies is 100 percent preventable in humans, still nearly 55,000 people die from it each year, worldwide.

The disease is very rare in American human cases, usually limited to single digits. Still, it has the potential to kill.

Most of the preventative actions that can be taken are for your pets or animals around your home.

If you suspect you may have been bitten by any animal, it is recommended that you capture it, have animal control euthanize it and then bring it to medical professionals for testing.