Veterinary Public Health Information For Los Angeles County Veterinary Professionals

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On this page, you will find resources and recommended practices on veterinary and public health topics. Veterinary professionals in Los Angeles County are invited to consult with our Public Health Veterinarian On Call on Mon-Fri from 8am-5pm at 213-288-7060.

All veterinarians in LA County should be familiar with the 2022 Los Angeles County Veterinary Public Health Manual

To stay up to date on emerging issues related to animal health, veterinarians may also sign up to our Animal Health Alert Network (AHAN) to receive alerts (e-mail only). Find recent and archived AHANs here.

Antibiotic-resistance management and prevention guidelines

Antibiotic resistance is a global concern. The following resources may help your practice reduce the spread of resistant bacteria.

               Antimicrobial use guidelines for treatment of urinary tract disease in dogs and cats
               Basic Guidelines of Judicious Therapeutic Use of Antimicrobials (AAHA & AAFP)
               Judicious Use of Antimicrobials (AVMA)
               Antimicrobial use Guidelines for Treatment of Respiratory Tract Disease in Dogs and Cats
               Therapeutic antibiotic use patterns in dogs: observations from a veterinary teaching hospital                Handbook of Antimicrobial Stewardship in Companion Animal Veterinary Settings
Bite reporting

By Law, all animal bites to people must be reported to our office. Bites from wildlife (including bat exposures) to pets are also reportable. Inspectors follow up on every bite report received. The biting animals are usually not taken away from their owner. In most cases, home quarantines are implemented to ensure the animal does not have rabies (see flowcharts below for quarantine lengths). 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.
               Quarantine lengths - Animal bites to humans (Flowchart)
               Quarantine lengths - Wildlife bites to domestic animals (Flowchart)
               Bite reporting guidelines and forms
               Animal and bite-related laws
               Preventing animal bites in LA County
Rabies

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. Veterinarians should ask owners about the pet's origin, as animals coming from abroad may be at increased risk of rabies and other foreign diseases.
Animal Bites & Rabies Risk - Recommendations for LA County


Reporting a suspect rabid animal

Rabies - Local data (Los Angeles County)

Bats in the house - Flowchart and What To Do If You Find A Bat

California Rabies Compendium, 2012 - and U.S. Licensed Animal Rabies Vaccines

Terrestrial reservoirs of rabies in the United States (CDC). Note: Bats are rabies reservoirs everywhere in the United States except Hawaii.

Rabies-free countries (CDC)

Rabies training for animal shelter/animal care staff in Los Angeles County

Quick Tips and Rabies Educational Materials (to share with family, children and friends)
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)
Teaching Children about Pet Safety and Pet Health
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 persons (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)
Vaccination guidelines

In California, rabies vaccination in dogs is mandatory. Some cities in Los Angeles County have enacted their own rabies vaccination requirements for cats (see list below). Nevertheless, it is recommended to vaccinate all cats against rabies, as rabid bats have been found inside homes of indoor-only cats. The minimum age for rabies vaccination in dogs and cats changed from 4 months to 3 months in January 2014. Other pet vaccines should be administered according to the guidelines below.
            Canine vaccination guidelines, 2017 (AAHA)
            Feline vaccination guidelines, 2020 (AAHA/AAFP)
            List of cities in Los Angeles County requiring cat licensing and rabies vaccination (1/2019)
            Canine rabies vaccination exemption guidelines
Updated - CDPH Rabies Compendium - U.S. Licensed Animal Rabies Vaccines (last updated 9.2020) - Only canine rabies vaccines licensed by USDA and approved by the California Department of Public Health can be used in the California Rabies Control Program.
Zoonotic diseases and employee safety

Veterinary personnel may be at increased risk of infection from a zoonotic pathogen such as rabies, leptospirosis, or flea-borne typhus. In addition, animals may become infected by diseases from humans (influenza, MRSA) or act as a sentinel for diseases that are present in the environment (Valley fever, West Nile virus). In Los Angeles County, any infectious disease in animals is reportable to our office (see priority list below). Animal disease surveillance is an integral part of keeping our communities safe from infectious pathogens. Asking animal owners about concurrent human illness can help identify zoonotic diseases outbreaks.
            Los Angeles County Priority List of Reportable Animal Diseases, 2024 (VPH)
            Animal disease reporting portal (VPH)
            California Department of Public Health - Veterinary Public Health Section (CDPH)
            Veterinary Standard Precautions for Zoonotic Disease Prevention in Veterinary Personnel, 2015              (NASPHV)
            Brucella canis infections in humans, 2012 (NASPHV)
            Model Infection Control Plan for Veterinary Practices (MS Word), 2015 (NASPHV)
            Compendium of Measures to Prevent Diseases Associated with Animals in Public Settings, 2013              (NASPHV)
            Psittacosis and chlamydiosis (NASPHV)
2018 AAHA Infection Control, Prevention and Biosecurity Guidelines

Other helpful links
USDA Veterinary Accreditation

Last updated: February 13, 2024