SAN ANTONIO -- Animal Care Services (ACS) is encouraging residents get their pets vaccinated for rabies, after a recent case prompts caution for the disease.
Six children at Pearce Primary School in the Southside Independent School District were exposed to a bat that tested positive for rabies. The school sent out a letter to parents regarding the incident.
ACS says residents should avoid handling wildlife and encourage their children to not interact with the creatures, since bats are undergoing their migration season.
Rabies is a potentially fatal viral disease. It can be spread by contact with infected saliva or neural tissue, usually through a bite. In certain rare cases, the disease can be spread through non-bite exposures like abrasions or scratches. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says rabies starts with flu-like symptoms like fever, general malaise or headaches. The symptoms can last for days and then progress to symptoms of anxiety, confusion, delirium, hallucinations and insomnia.
So far this year, the Metropolitan Health District says there have been 12 cases of rabies in Bexar County, all in bats. If you still need your pet vaccinated, Animal Care Services hosts low-cost vaccination clinics each Monday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at their shelter. Rabies vaccinations are available for $10.
Visit the Animal Care Services website
HERE.
Animal Care Services
4710 State Highway 151
San Antonio, TX 78227
(210) 207 - 4738
