By Oniska Blevins
The Selma Times-Journal

In an effort to keep the community’s furry friends safe, the Northside Animal Hospital is conducting a rabies clinic in different areas throughout Dallas County.
Dr. Mike Wells, rabies inspector for Dallas County, said the disease is serious and should be treated such.
“Rabies is a viral disease transmitted between the animal species,” Wells said. “If [people] suspect their animal has rabies, then they should [bring] it to the veterinary doctor.”
Wells said most of the time, domesticated animals, who have come in contact with a wild animal contract the disease.“They generally always get [rabies] by being bitten by a rabid animal,” Wells said.
The clinic dates are May 19, June 2, June 9 and June 16. Vaccinations will be conducted in each designated location for one hour, and the cost is $12 per animal.
Northside Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Matthew Taccone will perform the vaccinations.
Taccone said this is a good thing for the community because rabies could possibly affect a lot of people in the area.
“A lot of these people have dogs, and a lot of these dogs are outside dogs. Alot of animals come in contact with wildlife,” Taccone said. “We’re trying to vaccinate every single dog and cat in the county.”
Animals that have contracted rabies will often show signs of having the disease.
“Typically with our domesticated species it’s a change in behavior,” Taccone said. “There’s actually two different forms of rabies; the way it presents itself is a furious form and a dumb form.”
Taccone said the furious form is what usually comes to people’s minds when they think of rabies. Salivating from the mouth and aggressive behavior are signs of the furious form of rabies.
Humans who receive prompt medical care and have previously been vaccinated prior to getting rabies from an animal have a chance of survival. However, Taccone said rabies is serious and can have grave consequences.
“If a human contracts rabies and they become neurologic from that disease, typically that’s usually fatal,” Taccone said. “That’s why it’s such big deal.”
State law requires all dogs and cats to be vaccinated each year.