Vaccination is critical for prevention. Once the symptoms appear, the disease is typically fatal without adequate treatment, emphasizes Yung-Tsun Lo, D.V.M, Ph.D, from Bioguard Corporation in Taiwan. Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is caused by the rabies virus and can affect all mammals, including humans, dogs, cats, ferrets, livestock and wildlife. Once the symptoms become noticeable, the disease is almost always fatal. Therefore, vaccination is crucial for prevention, since there is currently no effective treatment for rabies in any species.