Dog owners should continue to immunize pets against rabies despite announcement that U.S. is canine rabies free.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last week that the U.S. is free of canine rabies and credits to effective immunization, dog licensing and stray dog control programs.
The elimination of rabies in dogs means that dog-to-dog transmission of rabies should not occur. However, rabies is carried in numerous species of wildlife and can be transmitted to non-immunized dogs. In order to prevent transmission of rabies from wildlife to pets, dog and cat-owners must be vigilant in ensuring that their pets are vaccinated against rabies.
Humans can contract rabies from infected animals, particularly from bats. Globally, rabies kills approximately 55,000 people each year.
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