Tompkins County Health Department: Rabies Control

The Tompkins County Health Department Center for Rabies Control investigates exposures and provides vaccinations for dogs and cats to prevent human rabies.

Rabies is a viral infection that is fatal to humans. The rabies virus is contained in the saliva and nervous tissue of rabid animals. Prevent rabies by avoiding exposure or by completing post-exposure treatment should an exposure occur. Human post-exposure treatment consists of a dose of rabies immune globulin administered as soon as possible (day 0). The first of five doses of rabies vaccine is g  ...