Diamond Paws

What you need to know about Rabies

(Article used with permission from Karen at Kittycatfurballs. All copyrights belong to her. Please see our links page to visit her web site)

This article pertains to the US, it is included here for reference. Rabies is not a problem in Australia, UK, Hawaii, New Zealand and some other countries.

Rabies is a virus that can affect any warm-blooded animal. If someone is bitten by an animal, the chance of rabies exists. Even though the incidence of rabies in people is low, it is said that more than 30,000 people obtain treatment for possible exposure to rabies in the US.

Rabies primarily attacks the nervous system and causes an encephalitis. The virus is transmitted through saliva from the bite of an infected animal. The incubation period prior to clinical signs varies, but is usually a couple weeks up to two months. The virus will begin showing in saliva a short time before clinical signs develop, usually less than 10 days.

For both humans and domestic animals, the primary source of rabies is the bite of a rabid wild animal. The most common of these are skunk, raccoon, bat, and fox. Currently, the number of cats infected with rabies has surpassed that of dogs. The main reasons are that there are now more cats than dogs and cats tend to roam more often.

You must put a rabies tag on your pet if it is allowed to roam free. If it bites someone and they catch your pet, especially without a rabies tag, say good-bye to your furball :(

There are three phases to the course of the disease: prodromal, furious, and paralytic. Death occurs three to-seven days from the onset of signs.

The prodomal stage lasts two-to-three days. The signs can include behavioral changes, fever, slow eye reflexes, and chewing at the bite site.

The furious stage lasts two-to-four days. During this stage, signs of erratic behavior may include irritability, restlessness, barking, aggression, vicious attacks on inanimate objects, and unexplained roaming. Disorientation and seizures may also develop.

The paralytic stage lasts two-to-four days, during which signs of paralysis develop, usually beginning in the limb that was bitten. Paralysis of the throat and face cause a change in the bark, drooling with typical foaming at the mouth, and a dropped jaw. These signs are followed by depression, coma, and death from respiratory paralysis.

Once clinical signs develop, there is no treatment so please, vaccinate your pet if your pet goes outdoors and/or your state requires it!

All dogs and cats should be vaccinated against rabies according to local rules and regulations. Wild animals kept as pets should never be vaccinated, and contact with wild animals should be avoided. The recommendations for a pet bitten by a wild animal or a known rabid animal are as follows:

If the pet has been vaccinated, re-vaccinate and quarantine for 90 days. If the pet has not been vaccinated and allowed to go outdoors (shame on you!), euthanize and submit tissue for rabies testing. If the owner is unwilling to euthanize the pet, it should be strictly quarantined for six months with vaccination one month prior to release.

People should also avoid wild animal contact. A skunk, raccoon, or fox walking down the street in broad daylight is not out to play! The possibility the animal is sick and may have rabies should be the first assumption in your mind! Stay away!

If a person is bitten by an animal that is healthy and properly vaccinated, the animal must be quarantined for 10 days. If the bite is from a wild animal, it should be euthanized and submitted for testing. Unfortunately, the wild animal often escapes and cannot be tested.

If escape occurs, a physician should decide if the victim should undergo post-exposure prophylaxis. Rabies post-exposure vaccines are given on days zero, three, seven, 14, and 28 following the bite.

Please educate your children about the dangers of rabies and stray animals and or wild animals! Treatment is not fun!

It is important to keep outdoor pets vaccinated against this disease according to your local laws. Some areas require annual vaccination, while others allow a three-year vaccine. This is one disease we can and must control. SOLUTION: KEEP YOUR PET INDOORS!

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