Here’s what you need to know

There have been 51 confirmed cases of rabies in Michigan so far this year.

That data is as of Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Thirty-four of those cases were in bats, 15 were in skunks, one stray cat, and one dog.

Rabies was detected in 20 Michigan counties including Charlevoix, Kalkaska, Bay, Saginaw, Gratiot, Clinton, Shiawassee, Ingham, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Sanilac, Lenawee, Barry, Allegan, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Berrien counties.

Most recent confirmed rabies case

One of the most recent confirmed cases of rabies in Michigan was confirmed in a dog found in Detroit and transported to Oakland County.

On Oct. 25, the dog began displaying symptoms of rabies so the resident took the dog to Advanced Veterinary Medical Center in Farmington Hills. A veterinarian determined the dog should be euthanized.

Veterinary staff transferred the dog’s remains to Oakland County Animal Control, who transported them to the MDHHS lab in Lansing. On Nov. 1, MDHHS confirmed to the county that the dog tested positive for rabies.

—> Dog found in Detroit tests positive for rabies: What to know

What to do if you find a bat in your home

If you or your pets have any contact with a bat you should contact your healthcare provider.

Any direct contact with a bat should be considered a possible exposure to rabies. If you find a bat in the same room as someone that should also be considered direct contact, especially if the person was a child, sleeping, or intoxicated. Bat bites can be very small and can go unnoticed.

If someone has been exposed to a bat, do not let the bat go free. Capture the bat and contact your local health department. Your health department can set up rabies testing through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Laboratories, the only laboratory in Michigan that can test animals for rabies.

If the bat is unavailable for testing, the exposed person may have to undergo treatment. If the bat can be tested and is found not to have rabies, then treatment is not needed.

How to protect yourself, your pets from rabies

You should visit your veterinarian on a regular basis and keep rabies vaccinations up-to-date for all cats, ferrets, and dogs.

Even if an animal is kept inside, keeping their vaccination against rabies up-to-date is important in case they are ever exposed to a stray animal carrying the disease.

Michigan law requires ferrets and dogs to be currently vaccinated against rabies.

If you are exposed to a wild animal, you should wash all bites or scratches immediately with soap and water.

If you think you or your animal may have had contact with rabid wildlife, you should immediately contact your veterinarian or MDARD at 800-292-3939 to determine the next steps.

What are the symptoms of rabies in a person?

The early symptoms of rabies in people may include fever, headache, general weakness, and discomfort.

People may also feel a prickling or an itching sensation at the site of the bite. The symptoms can last for days.

Over time, neurological symptoms may appear. Those can include difficulty sleeping, anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, agitation, partial paralysis, difficulty swallowing, and the fear of water.

Once symptoms appear, the disease is nearly always deadly.

What are the symptoms of rabies in an animal?

Animals with rabies may behave strangely or in unexpected ways.

The early symptoms include fever, lethargy, vomiting, and lack of appetite.

The later symptoms include weakness, difficulty walking, paralysis, seizures, difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation, abnormal behavior, and aggression.

What is the treatment for rabies?

To prevent rabies in a person that has potentially been exposed, the person undergoes a series of injections called Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis.

People who have never received rabies vaccinations in the past must receive both the rabies antibody (rabies immune globulin, or HRIG) and the vaccine. People who have already been vaccinated will only need the rabies vaccine.

Once symptoms appear, the disease is nearly always fatal. At that point, treatment is only supportive.

The state of Michigan has more information about rabies available online.