Animal Bites & Rabies
Reporting a Bite
Anyone who is bitten or scratched by an animal (domestic, stray, or wild) that breaks the skin should wash the bite wound with soap and water immediately and consult a doctor who will treat the wound and report the bite to the health jurisdiction where the bite occurred. You may also want to contact the Cincinnati Police Department to make a report.
To report a bite directly to the Cincinnati Health Department, submit the Animal Bite/ Exposure Reporting Form to cincinnatihealthtechnical@cincinnati-oh.gov, fax form to (513)352-2915, use Cincy 311, or call the Technical Environmental Services office at (513) 352-2922.
Rabies is a deadly, though preventable viral disease that may be transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected animal where the animal’s saliva gets into an open wound or mucous membrane. Cincinnati Municipal Code section 606 requires that every person who owns or harbors a dog that is at least 3 months of age in the city of Cincinnati have the dog inoculated by a licensed veterinarian with a rabies vaccine so that the dog is continually protected against rabies.
Testing Animals for Rabies
The rabies virus attacks an animal’s nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and nerves). Rabies can infect all mammals and is mostly seen in bats, raccoons, skunks, and other wild animals. However, dogs, cats, ferrets, and even humans can also be infected.
The Cincinnati Health Department can arrange to have properly prepared specimens shipped to the Ohio Department of Health to be tested for rabies. Please call the Health Department’s Technical Environmental Services office at (513) 352-2922 M-F between 7:30am-4pm for details.
Bats and Rabies
If a bat gets into your home and you or a member of your household has come in contact with the bat, even if you are not sure if you have been bitten or scratched, or if you wake up to a bat in your room, the bat should be captured and euthanized so it can be tested for rabies. Please refer to the Protocol for Submitting Bats for Rabies Testing for more information. To speak to a health care professional at the Cincinnati Health Department to discuss your rabies exposure risk and whether or not you need to be vaccinated, call (513) 357-7462.
External Resources:
Ohio Department of Health Rabies and Animal Bites page https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/zoonotic-disease-program/diseases/rabies.
Ohio Department of Health Rabies Post-Exposure Risk Assessment Tool https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/zoonotic-disease-program/rabies-pep/rabies-pep.