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Part of Animal diseases

Rabies prevention and control

Information on this deadly viral disease, how to prevent it, and testing and surveillance.

Introduction

Rabies is a viral disease spread through the saliva of an infected animal. It is nearly always deadly if not treated before symptoms begin. All mammals can be infected with and transmit rabies virus. Alberta's rabies testing and surveillance program coordinates the testing of animal samples in response to a human or domestic animal exposure, when an animal dies or is euthanized with signs suggestive of rabies, and for the purpose of surveillance in striped skunks.

Find out what to do if you or your pet have been exposed, how the virus affects animals, rabies distribution and how to prevent it.

Photo of Big Brown Bat

Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus). Source: Cory Olson