Veterinary Public Health Information For Los Angeles County Physicians and Medical Professionals

Medical professional Dear colleagues, healthy pets mean healthy families!

The health of people and animals is closely connected. Animals can add a great deal to a person’s quality of life and promote healthier habits. Animals can also be a source of injuries or infections or be a sentinel indicating a disease that can infect people is present in the local environment. In addition, newly emerging diseases in Los Angeles County may appear in animals before they appear in people. Medical professionals are encouraged to ask their patients about pet ownership and interactions with other animals.

On this page, you will find resources on important medical topics as they relate to animals and pet ownership.

Medical professionals in Los Angeles County are invited to consult with our Public Health Veterinarian On Call, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm at 213-288-7060.

For any emergency questions about communicable diseases in humans, please contact our Acute Communicable Disease Control Program at 213-240-7941.

Bite reporting
By Law, all animal bites to people must be reported to our office. Inspectors follow up on every bite report received and the animals are typically put in home quarantines to ensure they do not have rabies. It is therefore crucial to enter the biting animal's information when submitting bite reports. Scratches, as well as bites from rodents and rabbits do not transmit rabies - these incidents are not reportable.
       Bite reporting form for medical professionals
         Bite-related laws
         Preventing animal bites in LA County

Local rabies risk
In Los Angeles County, exposure to bats or bites from animals in rabies-endemic countries are considered high risk for rabies. While most bats in the wild are not infected with the virus, any contact with bats should be thoroughly investigated to rule out rabies exposure. Bites from other local wildlife (skunks, raccoons, opossums, etc) represent a moderate risk. Bites from local dogs or cats are low risk of rabies. These recommendations are valid for Los Angeles County only - rabies vectors may differ in other parts of the country and abroad.
         Animal Bites & Rabies Risk - Recommendations for LA County
         Rabies - Local data (Los Angeles County)
         Bats in the house - Flowchart
         California Rabies Compendium, 2012
         Reservoir of rabies in the United States (CDC) Note: bats are rabies vectors anywhere in the country
         Rabies-free countries (CDC)
         Quick Tips and Rabies Educational Materials (to share with family, children and friends)
         What to do if you find a bat

Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
Depending on the exposure risk (see above), PEP may be needed in a patient. PEP recommendations may differ based on the patient's health or previous rabies vaccination status. Recommendations usually include rabies immune globulin (RIG) administration as well as a series or rabies vaccines. Bites from animals, especially cats, may become infected and antibiotics or tetanus vaccination may also be recommended.
         Rabies PEP ordering information & bite reporting checklist (Updated April 2022)
         Rabies vaccine/immune-globulin availability (CDC)                                                                                                       Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
         Rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

Health benefits of pet ownership
Pets provide a variety of health benefits to people. These include: improved cardiovascular health, reduced obesity, tobacco cessation, mental wellbeing and more. To maximize the benefits of pet ownership and reduce the risks of disease transmission, pets should be seen by a veterinarian for a physical examination at least once yearly and be up to date on all vaccinations and preventive care.
Health Benefits of Pets (CDC)
Service Animals (US Department of Justice)

Pets and children
Pets can make great companions for children, teaching important values such as compassion and responsibility. However, children can be at higher risk for several pet-related illnesses. In Los Angeles County, the highest rate of bites reported occur in children aged 4-9. Children may also be at higher risk of zoonotic diseases transmitted fecal-orally or by direct contact (flea-borne diseases, gastrointestinal parasites, ringworm and more). Children should never be left with pets without supervision, and should always wash their hands after playing outside or with a pet. In addition, pets should be up-to-date on their vaccines and preventive care.
Preventing Animal Bites in LA County
Infants and Young Children - Animal Safety Tips (CDC)

Pets and pregnancy
Pregnant women should exercise caution around their pets in order to prevent infection from zoonoses or injury to themselves (e.g. bites). There is no need to remove a pet from a household where a woman is expecting. Toxoplasmosis in cats is more commonly transmitted to people through eating undercooked meat. Only cats that go outdoors and ingest rodents can be infected with Toxoplasma gondii. In addition, healthy cats typically shed the parasite once in their lifetime. Other zoonoses that can constitute an increased risk during pregnancy include lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (rodents) and listeriosis (raw milk).
         Toxoplasmosis (VPH)
         Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV) and Pregnancy (CDC)
            Preventing Infections in Pregnancy (CDC)

Pets and Immune-suppressed populations
Chemotherapy, organ transplants, and other conditions (e.g. HIV) that affect the immune system may increase risks of infections from contact with animals. Precautions should be taken to reduce the likelihood of disease transmission from pets to immune-suppressed patients (hand washing, avoiding licks to the face). Pets of immune-suppressed owners should be up-to-date on their vaccines and other preventive care.
Pets and the immune-compromised person (NIH)
Organ Transplant Patients - Pet Safety Tips (CDC)

Service animals and health care settings
Service animals are not considered pets, they are trained for a specific task for people with disabilities. By law, service animals are allowed in any part of a medical facility where personnel or patients are normally allowed. Exceptions may occur if the service animal's presence represents a direct threat to other persons in a particular area. Appropriate hygiene measures should be taken when dealing with service animals. These include: hand washing after contact with the animal and minimizing contact with fluid, feces or dander.
Understanding How to Accommodate Service Animals in Healthcare Facilities (US Dept. of Health and Human Services)
Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities (CDC) Scroll to "Animals in Health-Care Facilities"

Zoonoses - Diseases transmissible between animals and people
According to the CDC, 6 out of 10 infectious diseases of humans are spread from animals. Animals may become infected by diseases from humans (influenza, MRSA), be a source of infection for people (leptospirosis, flea-borne typhus), or act as a sentinel for diseases that are present in the environment (Valley fever, West Nile virus). Engaging in disease surveillance in animals is an integral part of keeping our communities safe from infectious pathogens. Asking patients about pet ownership or contact with animals can help identify specific risk factor for zoonotic diseases.
         Los Angeles County Department of Public Health - Animal Diseases and Conditions (VPH)
         California Department of Public Health - Veterinary Public Health Section (CDPH)
         Healthy Pets and People (CDC)
         Diseases that can be spread from pets to people (CDC)
         Compendium of Measures to Prevent Diseases Associated with Animals in Public Settings, 2013

Last updated: May 9, 2022