1. Rabies: What kids need to know!
Welcome and Introductions. Request that the kids hold their questions until the end of the presentation due to the interactiveness of the program.
Slides provided by:
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Bureau of Communicable Disease Control
Division of Epidemiology and Immunization

2. What is Rabies?
Rabies is a dangerous disease caused by a virus.
Around the world, rabies kills 50,000 people and millions of animals each year.
Rabies is a deadly disease to all mammals. Approximately 50,000 people die of rabies each year worldwide.
In the US, rabies in humans is rare because we’ve been able to control its spread. However, rabies does kill thousands of animals in the US every year.
Ask the students: Does anybody know what a virus is?
Answer: A virus is a germ that can make you sick. It’s so small you can’t see it!
Depending on the age of your audience, you can also add:
Rabies has been around for thousands of years. Democritus made the first recorded description of canine rabies 500 years BC in ancient Greece. That’s over 2,000 years ago!

3. Any mammal can get rabies.
Raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats
Dogs, cats, cattle and ferrets
Humans
Question for the students: What is a mammal?
Answer:
Warm-blooded
Has a backbone
Has fur
Offspring born live (as opposed to hatching from an egg)*
Females have mammary glands for feeding young
Note: the kids always know this!!
*Sometimes kids know that there are 2 mammal species that lay eggs rather than delivering live offspring. These are the Platypus and the Echidna (pronounced “EE-KID-NAH”). Both are native to Australia.

4.  If a person or animal gets rabies, they will almost always die from it. 
I know this is a sad thing but this is why we come out to your school to educate you all about rabies so that this doesn’t happen to you or one of your animals.

5. How do you get rabies?
People and animals can only get rabies if they are bitten or scratched by an animal that already has rabies. Their saliva carries the rabies virus, even if the animal is dead.
Can anyone tell me what is on the boy’s blanket? A bat! UGGGGGH!
Does everyone know what saliva is? Spit, drool.
Note: Once an animal dies, the rabies virus does not survive for very long under most environmental conditions. The saliva from animals that have been dead for a while is not infectious. However, since it is not always obvious how long an animal had been dead, the take-home message for the kids is to stay away from dead animals.

6. How does rabies make you sick?
Once inside the body, the virus travels along the nerves.
Its main target is the the brain and spinal cord.

8. Animals that can give you rabies

9. Raccoons
Raccoons are cute and furry but they can cause…………….what? RABIES!!!!!

10. Bats
Important Point:
If you find a bat in your room, tell an adult. Bat bites can be very small, so if you were sleeping you might not know if you were bitten. Bat bites don’t always wake you up.

11. Foxes
Foxes can be cute and furry but they can cause……..what? RABIES!!!
Important Point:
Did you know that baby animals can also have rabies? They probably get it from the mother’s saliva (but only if the animal’s mother has rabies). So stay away from baby wild animals, even though they are very cute.

12. Skunks
Skunks can be cute, furry and a bit smelly but they can also cause what? RABIES!!!!

13. Ground Hogs
Fun Fact:
Does anyone know what animal this is? Have you ever studied about Punxsutawney Phil, the GROUND HOG who comes out on February 2nd to see if he can see his shadow? If he does see his shadow, then we will have 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, then some people think we will have an early spring.
But remember, ground hogs can be cute and furry but they can cause what? RABIES!!

14. Cats - especially stray and unvaccinated
Important Point:
Cats can get rabies if they haven’t been vaccinated and a rabid animal attacks them. Cats can then pass rabies on to you or another animal. That’s why you should be sure to get your cat vaccinated and keep your cat up-to-date on its rabies vaccinations.
Question for students: How many of you own cats?
Fun Fact:
Did you know that more people own cats than dogs in Massachusetts?
Does anyone know what a stray (or feral) cat is?
Answer: A cat that is wild and doesn’t have a home.

15. Dogs - especially stray & unvaccinated
Question for students: How many of you own dogs?
The dog on the left looks very mean but not all animals with rabies will look like that when they are sick! Sometimes you just can’t tell if an animal has rabies.
Important Point:
What we said about cats is the same for dogs—it is VERY important to vaccinate them for rabies and to keep them up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations.

16. Ferrets Many people have ferrets as pets.
They should be vaccinated for rabies.
                             
Question for students: How many of you own ferrets?
Ferrets can carry what disease? RABIES

17. Mammals that are less likely to carry rabies
Question for students: Ask the students to identify these animals in a group response.
A: Clockwise from the left: rabbit, squirrel, mice, chipmunk.
Explain that these small animals usually die from an attack by an animal with rabies and therefore they don’t survive long enough to transmit the virus.

18. Animals that don’t carry rabies
Question for students: Ask the students to identify these animals
A: Clockwise from top left: bird, snake, turtle, bees, tick
Are these animals mammals? NO, then they can not get rabies.

19. Signs of rabies in animals can include:
Unusual behavior
Wild animals that appear friendly
Nocturnal animals active during the day
An increase in drool or saliva
Animals that act very sick or mean
Animals that have difficulty moving or are dead
These are some of the most obvious signs that you might see in a rabid animal. However, these are not unique to rabies and might be due to other causes.
Unusual behavior
Wild animals are usually skittish and afraid of people. If they approach people, it would be unusual behavior
Question for kids: What does nocturnal mean?
Answer: Nocturnal animals are animals that are normally active at night and sleep or hide during the day.
Raccoons and skunks are nocturnal animals, so if you see them during the day, they are acting unusually and may be ill.
Important Point:
Remember that some animals that have rabies will look just fine. You can’t always tell just by looking at an animal that they have rabies. However, any time you see an animal acting abnormally, rabies is a possibility.

20. The only way to tell In the laboratory
Lab scientists test the brain of a dead animal for rabies.
                             
Note: The diagnosis of rabies can only be made in the laboratory after the animal is dead. This test is done at our office in Boston, at the State Laboratory.
[Recognize that this is a sad announcement for the kids.]

21. Rabies in Massachusetts 2003
207 Wild animals diagnosed with rabies
86 Skunks
81 Raccoons
23 Bats
13 Foxes
4 Other wild animals
AND
What do we mean by domestic animals?
Answer: Animals that humans have tamed such as cats, dogs, horses, cows, sheep, ferrets, etc.
8 Domestic Animals
6 cats
2 dogs

22. Can rabies be prevented?
Yes! 
Vaccines (shots) against Rabies
Wash bite wounds and scratches thoroughly
Stay away from strays
Note: There are vaccines/shots for both people and animals which can protect them from getting rabies.
Dogs, cats and ferrets should routinely get vaccines.
People should get vaccinated when they are at high risk for getting rabies because they have frequent contact with wild or stray animals. People who are at high-risk include veterinarians, animal control officers and wildlife rehabilitators.
People should also get vaccinated if they have had contact with the saliva of known or potentially rabid animals.

23. The best way to prevent rabies is to make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies!!
Question for students: How many of you have taken your animals to the vet to get shots? Many cities and towns have special clinics that you can bring your animals to for their vaccination.

24. Protect your pets Vaccinate your pet dog, cat, or ferret
Always leash your dog.
Tell an adult if you see a wild or stray animal acting strangely.
If your pet gets bitten by an animal, call your vet right away.
Get your pets spayed or neutered.
Does anyone know what does “spayed or neutered” means?
Answer: It’s an operation for your animals so they can’t have any babies. Spaying or neutering cats and dogs will make them less likely to wander and to fight with other animals.
FYI– in most cases the above definition is sufficient. But in case the kids want to know more or need clarification:
[Spay means to remove (by surgery) the female animal’s reproductive organs (ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes).
Neuter means to remove (by surgery) the male animal’s reproductive glands (the testes).]

25. Never touch an unfamiliar or wild animal.
Protect yourself
Never touch an unfamiliar or wild animal.
Always ask permission to touch someone else’s pet.
Call an animal control officer if you find a sick or hurt animal.
Keep trash cans closed.
Put all pet food away.
Keep trash cans closed so that animals don’t smell things and decide to rummage through the barrels. It’s better if animals stay away from your house!
Do you know who your animal inspector is? Your animal control officer?
Note: The facilitator may want to research this question in advance so they can announce the person’s name to the class. Better yet, invite the person to join you! The kids (and adults) will be able to put a face with the name.

26. If you are bitten or scratched
Tell an adult immediately
Wash the wound out with soap and water
Call your doctor right away

27. Rabies Quiz

28. Which of these can carry rabies?
This is simply an introductory slide, announcing the beginning of the interactive component of this presentation.

29. Dogs?
YES
Answer: Yes

30. Raccoons?
YES
Answer: Yes

31. Snakes? NO Answer: No And why not? Because they are not ……what?
Answer: Mammals!

32. Cats?
YES
Answer: Yes

33. Rabbit? (this one is tricky)
YES
Answer: Yes
Rabbits, which are mammals, can get rabies. However, they rarely, if ever, survive an attack by a rabid animal so are not likely to pass rabies on to us.

34. True or False?
Rabies is
caused by
a virus.
TRUE

35. FALSE True or False? A bite from a snake can give you rabies.
And why not? Because they are not mammals!

36. TRUE True or False? The rabies virus affects the nervous system.
Remember the picture of the brain and spinal cord?

37. TRUE True or False? If you are bitten by any animal, you
should clean the
wound right
away.
Use soap and water.

38. TRUE True or False? People can get rabies from the saliva of an
animal with
rabies.
Hint: Saliva means spit or drool.

39. FALSE True or False? You will always know if you are bitten by a bat,
even if you are
asleep.
Note: Bats have tiny teeth and their bites can be very small. It is possible to be bitten by a bat and not realize it, especially when you are asleep. Bat bites can consist of one or two small puncture wounds and can be mistaken for a bug bite.
Reiterate: If you find a bat in your bedroom, please tell an adult right away.

40. True or False?
FALSE
If you are bitten by a mouse, you should always receive the rabies vaccine.
Why not? Because a mouse probably won’t survive an attack by a rabid animal and won’t live long enough to give rabies to you. Mice are considered to be low-risk animals for transmitting rabies. Rabies vaccine is not usually recommended after a mouse bite.

41. The best way to protect yourself from rabies is:
Avoid animals not known to you.
Vaccinate your pets.
Report animals with strange behavior.
Maintain your property and keep trash properly contained.
Praise children for their knowledge and super behavior. (Hopefully)
ALL OF THE ABOVE

42. In 2003 in Massachusetts, which species had the highest number of rabies cases?
Just one more question for the class.
Final facts:
In 2003, 86 skunks tested positive.
The next most common animal was the raccoon- 81 tested positive in 2003.
Both skunks and raccoons continue to be important potential sources of rabies in Massachusetts.

43. Watch out for rabies Stay away from strays and wild animals
If you see strays or wild animals, tell an adult.
If you are ever bitten or scratched by an animal, tell an adult.
Wash your cut with soap and water for 10 minutes.
Remember……………..

44. To learn more about Rabies
Massachusetts Department of Public Health: click on “R” for Rabies!
Center for Disease and Prevention:
MDPH has children’s curriculums, posters, brochures and handouts about rabies. Please feel free to contact us for more details.