The number of rabies cases in Saskatchewan is on the rise. Saskatchewan Agriculture says there have been 18 confirmed cases in the province so far in 2016, including seven in June and three cases so far in July. That compares to nine cases in 2015 during the same time period, and seven in 2014.

Four cases have involved domestic animals – a cow, a cat, a lamb and a baby goat. There have been eight confirmed cases involving skunks and six bats.

If you see a bat behaving potentially abnormally, not flying around properly or just lying on the ground that could be a sign it is infected with rabies. If you need to interact with the bat, it's very important to have protective gloves and to call Saskatchewan Public Health. Next to raccoons, skunks are the second-leading carrier of rabies among North American mammals. A typical healthy skunk will not allow you to approach it. Skunks are fond of garbage, beetle larvae and grubs, bringing them into your yard at night to look for a meal in the trash and in stumps and logs on your property. Nevertheless, a skunk will run for safety when confronted. A skunk with rabies can lose its fear of people and exhibit aggressive behavior. A skunk you see during daylight hours has the potential to be rabid. Skunks are nocturnal creatures, venturing forth after dark to look for food. During the day, they sleep in their dens. A skunk walking around in broad daylight is an unnatural sight and probably a sign that the animal has the disease.

Look for signs the skunk has lost control of voluntary movements such as the ability to walk in a coordinated manner. Watch for drooling and excess saliva, which is a result of the throat and chewing muscles undergoing paralysis from the rabies virus.

Watch for aggressive behavior from a skunk. Skunks will actively seek out and try to attack kittens and puppies in some instances when suffering from rabies. Note any odd behavior in a skunk that you can see, such as it swallowing things like stones or sticks. This symptom is one that all animals, skunks included, might exhibit as the rabies progresses.

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health deals with human exposure to potential rabies cases as per their normal procedures. If someone has been exposed to an animal that is suspected of carrying rabies, they should contact the local public health office or the Saskatchewan HealthLine by dialing 811.

If a wild animal is suspected of carrying rabies, the incident should be reported to your local conservation officer, or call the Ministry of Environment's toll-free line at 1-800-667-7561.

Rabies hotline: 1-844-7-RABIES (1-844-772-2437)

Signs of rabies include:

Domestic animals may become depressed and try to hide in isolated places;
Wild animals may lose their fear of humans and appear unusually friendly;
Wild animals that usually come out at night may be out during the day;
Animals may have paralysis which commonly affects the face or neck often seen as difficulty swallowing;
Animals may become excited or aggressive; and
Animals may attack objects, people or other animals.