Living in Southern Arizona means sharing the landscape with a variety of native wildlife. While most encounters are harmless, bats and other wild animals can carry rabies. Keeping your dog or cat current on rabies vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect them from this deadly disease.
Understanding how rabies spreads, recognizing potential exposures, and knowing what to do if your pet is bitten by another animal can help protect both your pet and your family.
What Is Rabies?
Rabies is a viral disease that attacks the brain and nervous system of mammals, including dogs, cats, wildlife, and people. It spreads primarily through the saliva of an infected animal, most commonly through a bite. In rare cases, the virus can also be transmitted if infected saliva comes into contact with an open wound or the eyes, nose, or mouth.
Once clinical signs develop, rabies is almost always fatal. Fortunately, rabies vaccination is highly effective at preventing the disease, making it one of the most important vaccines your pet receives.
Thanks to decades of routine vaccination and public health programs, rabies has remained uncommon in dogs and cats across the United States. That success is not because the disease disappeared. It is because vaccination has helped keep it under control. Continuing to vaccinate our pets helps ensure they remain protected from this deadly disease.
Rabies Risks in Southern Arizona
Although rabies in vaccinated pets is uncommon, the virus continues to circulate in Arizona wildlife. Bats are responsible for most confirmed rabies cases in the state, but skunks, foxes, and other wild mammals can also carry the virus.
Dogs may encounter wildlife while hiking, camping, exploring desert trails, or spending time in the backyard. Outdoor cats are naturally curious and may investigate wildlife or prey animals, increasing their risk of exposure.
Any mammal can become infected with rabies. However, in Arizona, rabies is most often identified in bats. Other wildlife that can become infected includes skunks, foxes, and, less commonly, coyotes.
Animals infected with rabies do not always behave aggressively. Some may appear unusually tame, confused, weak, unable to walk normally, or active during daylight when they normally would not be.
Never approach or handle unfamiliar wildlife, especially bats. If you encounter a wild animal behaving abnormally, keep people and pets away from it and contact your local animal control agency. If your pet has been bitten or scratched, contact Adobe Veterinary Center as soon as possible.
How Domestic Pets Can Be Exposed to Rabies
Dogs and cats can be exposed to rabies through unexpected encounters with wildlife or unfamiliar animals. Common situations include:
- Investigating or fighting with wildlife
- Finding an injured or sick bat
- Being bitten by an unfamiliar dog or cat
- Encountering wildlife while hiking, camping, or exploring desert areas
- Having infected saliva come into contact with an open wound or the eyes, nose, or mouth
Why Rabies Vaccination Is Important for Dogs
Rabies vaccination is considered a core vaccine for dogs because every dog has the potential to encounter wildlife, even those that spend most of their time indoors.
Walks around the neighborhood, visits to local parks, backyard playtime, and hiking adventures can all create opportunities for unexpected contact with wildlife or unfamiliar animals.
Arizona law requires dogs to be vaccinated against rabies. Keeping your dog’s rabies vaccine current helps protect your pet, your family, and the community should an unexpected exposure occur.
Rabies Vaccine Recommendations for Cats
Rabies vaccination is also considered a core vaccine for cats. Although indoor cats have a lower risk of exposure than outdoor cats, unexpected situations can still occur. A cat may accidentally slip outside, or a bat may enter a garage or home, creating an opportunity for contact with wildlife.
Keeping your cat current on rabies vaccination provides important protection should an unexpected exposure occur.
What to Do If Your Pet Is Bitten by Another Animal
If your pet has been bitten by another animal, contact Adobe Veterinary Center immediately. If you suspect your pet may have been exposed to rabies, do not wait to seek veterinary care. Prompt evaluation allows our veterinarians to recommend the most appropriate next steps based on your pet’s vaccination status, the animal involved, and the circumstances of the exposure.
Depending on the situation, your pet may need a rabies booster vaccination, wound treatment, a period of observation, or additional recommendations to help protect their health.
Avoid further contact with the animal and do not attempt to capture wildlife yourself. If your pet was bitten by a wild animal, contact your local animal control agency or public health department for guidance.
Prompt veterinary care is important because bite wounds can lead to serious infections and other complications, even when rabies is not a concern.
Rabies Vaccination Requirements in Arizona
Arizona law requires dogs to be vaccinated against rabies. Although rabies vaccination is not required by state law for cats, veterinarians consider it a core vaccine because cats can also be exposed to rabies through unexpected encounters with wildlife.
Most dogs follow this rabies vaccination schedule:
- 12 to 16 weeks of age: First rabies vaccine
- 1 year later: First booster
- Every 1 or 3 years after that: Booster vaccinations, depending on the vaccine used
Cats typically follow a similar vaccination schedule. Your veterinarian will recommend the appropriate timing based on your cat’s age, vaccination history, and lifestyle.
For more information about your pet’s vaccination schedule, visit our Preventive Care page.
How Adobe Veterinary Center Can Help
Rabies vaccination is an important part of your pet’s lifelong preventive healthcare. Regular wellness examinations give our veterinarians an opportunity to monitor your pet’s overall health, answer your questions, and recommend the vaccinations that best fit your pet’s age and lifestyle.
Whether your puppy is ready for its first rabies vaccine, your adult dog is due for a booster, or your cat needs protection against rabies, our team is here to help.
If your pet has been bitten by another animal or you are concerned about possible rabies exposure, contact Adobe Veterinary Center as soon as possible. Prompt evaluation can help ensure your pet receives the care they need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my indoor cat get rabies?
Yes. Although indoor cats have a lower risk of exposure, unexpected situations can occur. A cat may accidentally get outside, or a bat may enter your home. Keeping your cat current on rabies vaccination provides important protection should an unexpected exposure occur.
How soon after a bite will a pet show signs of rabies?
Rabies symptoms usually do not appear immediately. In dogs and cats, the incubation period is typically several weeks to several months, although it can vary.
Do not wait for clinical signs to appear before seeking veterinary care. Once clinical signs develop, rabies is almost always fatal. If your pet has been bitten by another animal or may have been exposed to rabies, contact Adobe Veterinary Center right away.
What happens if my pet is overdue for a rabies vaccine?
If your pet is overdue for rabies vaccination and is exposed to an animal that may have rabies, the recommendations for managing that exposure may differ from those for a currently vaccinated pet. Contact Adobe Veterinary Center immediately so we can evaluate your pet and recommend the appropriate next steps.
What should I do if I find a bat in my home?
If you find a bat in your home, keep people and pets away from it if possible, and do not handle it with your bare hands. If you think your dog or cat may have had contact with the bat, do not release it if it can be safely contained. The bat may need to be tested for rabies.
If the exposure occurs during normal business hours, contact Adobe Veterinary Center for guidance. If it happens after hours and you believe your pet or a person may have been exposed, contact your local emergency veterinarian or your local public health department as soon as possible. If a person may have been bitten or scratched, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
How often does my dog need a rabies vaccine?
Most dogs receive their first rabies vaccine between 12 and 16 weeks of age, a booster one year later, and additional boosters every 1 or 3years, depending on the vaccine used. Our veterinarians will recommend the schedule that is appropriate for your dog.