When it comes to diseases, rabies may be the one that invokes the most fear.
One reason for this is that once the symptoms of rabies appear, it is too late to do anything other than prepare to for the funeral.
Fortunately, vaccination and eradication programs have had a positive effect in the United States. Unfortunately, this is not the case in other areas of the world. It is thought that one person dies every 10 minutes from the disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord of all mammals, including dogs and humans. Annually, the disease is thought to cause the death of more than 50,000 humans and millions of animals worldwide.
The good news is that rabies can be prevented. Dogs can be vaccinated against the dreaded disease. People that work in occupations where they deal with a lot of animals and travelers to areas that don’t have eradication programs have the highest risk of contacting the disease. High-risk people that come into contact with wildlife can have peace of mind by getting vaccinated.
Rabies is primarily passed to dogs through a bite from an infected animal. The disease can be transmitted through a scratch in the skin, a fresh or open wound and when infected saliva makes contact with mucous membranes.
The best thing you can do for your dog – even if he or she is vaccinated – is to keep them away from wild animals. Bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes are the most common carriers of rabies in the United States.
If you have a cat in your household, make sure it is vaccinated for rabies because cats have more reported cases of rabies than any other domesticated pet in the United States.
The rabies virus incubates for 10 days to eight weeks before symptoms begin to appear.
One of the first signs you will see in a dog that has been infected with rabies are extreme behavioral changes that may include restlessness, apprehension and aggression. Friendly dogs may suddenly become very irritable, biting at anything that bothers them whether it is people, other animals or inanimate objects. Dogs that are normally high-strung and excitable may suddenly become more docile.
As the rabies disease progresses, an infected dog may become hypersensitive to touch, light and sound. They may tend to seek out dark places to hide.
Paralysis of the throat and jaw muscles is a common side effect of the disease. This results in what we have come to know as “foaming at the mouth.”
Other symptoms include disorientation, a lack of coordination, staggering, overall weakness, loss of appetite, seizures and even sudden death.
Unfortunately, there is no accurate test available that can diagnose rabies in living animals. The most accurate test, which is called the direct fluorescent antibody test, requires brain tissue. The test can only be performed after an animal is dead.
Because of the severity of the disease and the fact that it can quickly spread like wildfire, rabies vaccinations are required by law.
Should your dog bite someone, you can expect that the dog may have to be confined and quarantined for 10 days to see if the disease develops. Euthanasia of the dog may be required if you cannot show proof of current rabies vaccinations.
Protect your dog and your family by keeping Rover’s vaccinations up to date and by keeping the dog away from wild animals that may carry the terrible disease.
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