Quarry the cat gets a shot Monday from Dr. Michael Doherty at Creek View Veterinary Clinic in New Braunfels. Comal County requires dogs and cats to have annual rabies vaccinations.
With so many potentially rabid animals roaming Comal County, local animal experts say it's important for people to get their pets vaccinated.“To me it’s a no-brainer,” said Mark Romple of Canyon Animal Clinic. “I just don’t see the downside of having a pet vaccinated and come in for an exam each year.”The state requires pets to get their rabies shots once every three years, but Comal County Commissioners re-affirmed Thursday that local pet owners must get their animals inoculated on an annual basis.That’s something local veterinarians appreciate, especially given the amount of potential carriers of the disease in the area. “Texas consistently is one of the leading states in number of cases in rabies,” said Dr. Michael Doherty of the Creek View Veterinary Clinic. “This part of Texas leads the state of Texas (in confirmed rabies cases).”Vaccinations are required for dogs, cats and are recommended for cattle, horses and ferrets. A vaccination usually costs $10-15. The vaccine typically used lasts three years, but having the annual requirement also serves to remind people to bring their pets in for their shots and a checkup regularly.“It’s never a bad idea,” said Mitchell Dorpinghaus with Bulverde’s animal control office. “You never know when something is going to flare up.” Comal County boasts a large number of animals known to transmit the disease like coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks and especially bats. The county is, after all, home to Bracken Cave and the more than 20 million Mexican free-tail bats that migrate here each year from Mexico, making it the largest assembly of mammals on the planet. Of the 107 possible rabies cases reported in the county in 2006, only five animals tested positive, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.“We are at a high risk because of the county’s bat population,” Romple said. The best way to avoid your pets contracting the disease, other than making sure they’re vaccinated, is to keep them close and avoid interaction with wild animals.“Most skunks and bats usually don’t like to get near people,” Doherty said. “If you’re animals stay close to you, they’re probably going to be less exposed to some of the wild animals that might have rabies.”“Appreciate them from a distance,” added Dorpinghaus. “There’s no telling what they might be carrying.”
