She tried to shake him off, then tried to knock him off with the front door to her home, but couldn't. The skunk came inside the house with her. She and a friend finally dislodged the animal, but he ran around the house until animal control officers could shoot him. Although the woman was not bitten, she underwent the rabies shots because of the possibility that the skunk's saliva had contacted her eyes or mouth. The treatment consists of two shots of immune globulin, one at the site of the bite and one in the hip.
Vaccine then is given in a series of five shots spread over a month.
Buck, of the state health department, says it would cost two to three times more if obtained through a private doctor or hospital. Veterinarians, animal control officers, and health department officials say the best way to prevent rabies is to stay away from stray animals, have pet dogs and cats neutered so they are less likely to stray and to produce more strays, and have all domestic animals vaccinated. All rights reserved. About the writer Susan Steeves Susan Steeves is WebMD's Dallas-Fort Worth staff reporter, writing about health and medical news throughout the metro area. All rights reserved.