When animals are sick, care should always be taken to avoid undue exposure to their body fluids. The person treating the animal should protect their eyes, breathing passages and any abrasions. An animal may be showing no signs of rabies in the first course of illness, but may be unable to swallow the next day. No season has a monopoly on the incidence of rabies. The West Virginia State Code requires cats and dogs to be vaccinated for rabies every two years.
Rabies vaccines are also available for horses, cattle, sheep and ferrets.