The CDC Reports that about 5,000 animal rabies cases are reported each year, with more than 90% of those cases OCCURRING in wildlife.

Health care providers must report all animal bites to the local Lincoln County Health Department at 636-528-6117. For basic information on what to do in the case of an animal bite and for more information about rabies, please visit the website for the American Veterinary Medical Association.

If you are bitten:

• Don’t panic.

• Wash the wound thoroughly and vigorously with soap & water.

• Call your doctor right away.

• If possible and can be done safely, confine or capture the animal under a large box or other container.

• If the animal cannot be contained and must be killed to prevent escape, try to do so without damaging the head so rabies testing can be done, if needed.

• Report the bite to the Health Department at 636-528-6117. Dog bites should also be reported to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department.

Have you been exposed to rabies?

If you’ve been in contact with any wildlife or unfamiliar animals, you should talk with your healthcare provider or a public health professional to determine your risk for rabies or other illnesses. Wash any wounds immediately with soap and water and then plan to seek help from your healthcare provider for medical treatment.

Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a dose of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and rabies vaccine that is given on the day of rabies exposure and again on day 3, 7, and 14. PEP will protect you from developing rabies so that you do not expose others. More information from the CDC can be found here.

Please be aware that Lincoln County does not have an animal control authority, although some municipalities (City of Troy, for example) do have animal control within city limits.

Last Updated 2/8/23