05/29/2026
If you and your pet go out for a stroll or a hike in the woods, you may stumble across a small brown pellet that can be enticing to your pet. These quarter-sized pellets are wildlife rabies vaccine bait drops that are spread by the State Department of Agriculture to help prevent rabies among our local wildlife. The oral vaccine is wrapped in sweet-smelling bait to attract raccoons and skunks. These pellets may be spread via drops from a plane in more rural areas or hand-spread near densely populated areas.
If you come across these pellets and your pet eats one, it will not have any adverse reactions to your pet and you do not need to contact your vet. However, this vaccine is meant for wildlife and will not provide protection against rabies in your pet. To prevent rabies in our pets, domesticated animals must be vaccinated in a veterinary setting. If you have any questions concerning rabies vaccination or bait drops, feel free to contact us via text, call, or email, or you can visit HealthVermont.gov. Thank you all for being a part of our family here at Onion River Animal Hospital, and have a good day.