Say the word rabies and what image conjures itself in your mind? Perhaps it's the iconic image of a dog who is frothing at the mouth. But is this the reality of what rabies actually is? That may be an important thing to know since Pennsylvania is second in the country for overall number of rabies cases. And it's in the Midstate where the highest numbers of those cases appear.

While rabies is far more common amongst wild animals, and Pennsylvania ranks third in terms of wild animals with rabies, the virus can easily be passed on to domestic pets. Pennsylvania leads in reported cases of rabies among cats That's significant because cats are almost four times as likely to be infected as dogs are, contrary to the widespread idea of rabies.

The first step you can take as a pet owner to keep your animals safe is to get them vaccinated against rabies.

What are the realities of rabies, and how can you spot it to keep you and your pets safe? We'll discuss all that and more on Thursday's Smart Talk with guests Amy Kaunas, Executive Director of the Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area, and Dr. Elizabeth Santini, Veterinarian for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.