How to tell if a dog has rabies Are you aware of the potential dangers posed by rabies in dogs? Our dedicated team of veterinarians in Lincoln is committed to keeping your beloved pets safe and healthy. Discover crucial insights into this life-threatening disease and learn why vaccinating your dog is paramount in safeguarding their well-being. Trust our expertise to guide you in making informed decisions for your furry companions.
What Is Rabies & How Can It Affect My Dog?
The devastating rabies virus wreaks havoc on the brain and spreads through contact with the saliva of infected animals, posing a threat to pets, livestock, wildlife, and humans alike.
According to the CDC, approximately 5,000 cases of rabies in animals are reported annually, predominantly affecting wild animals such as bats, raccoons, foxes, and skunks, which are primary carriers of the virus.
Tragically, rabies is nearly always fatal. Once symptoms of this lethal virus manifest, the afflicted animal typically succumbs within a matter of days, highlighting the urgency of prevention and vaccination measures.
How Can A Dog Get Rabies
To contract rabies, your dog must encounter an infected animal, usually through a bite that transfers the virus-laden saliva. Clinical symptoms typically surface within 10 to 14 days after exposure.
Interestingly, the onset of symptoms can vary widely, with some cases taking months or even years to manifest. This variability hinges on the route of exposure and the distance the virus must travel along the nervous system to reach the brain. The farther it must travel initially, the longer the incubation period may be, underscoring the complex nature of rabies transmission and symptom development.
What is the incubation period of rabies?
The crucial period known as the incubation period signifies the interval between your dog’s exposure to the rabies virus and the onset of clinical symptoms.
Typically, symptoms emerge within two weeks following exposure, yet there are instances where signs may surface months afterward. This underscores the urgency of vaccination and adhering to guidance from your local public health unit if exposure is suspected.
Furthermore, it’s vital to note that if your pet is infected with rabies, they can transmit the virus to other pets and humans up to 10 days before displaying any visible signs of the disease, highlighting the importance of swift action and preventive measures how to tell if a dog has rabies.
Symptoms of Rabies In Dogs
Dogs afflicted with rabies may display a spectrum of symptoms, such as:
- Altered barking patterns
- Excessive drooling
- Uncharacteristic behaviors like aggression, fearfulness, or heightened affection
- Sensitivity to touch, sound, or light
- Persistent biting or scratching at the site of virus exposure
- Difficulty swallowing
- Impaired balance or coordination while walking
- Partial or complete paralysis
- Collapsing or falling
- Seizures
Recognizing these signs is crucial for prompt intervention and seeking veterinary care to ensure the well-being of your pet and prevent the spread of the disease.
What Are The Stages Of Rabies?
Understanding the progression of the rabies virus in dogs can help pet owners recognize and respond to potential threats. Here are the three distinct stages along with their associated signs and symptoms:
- Prodromal Stage: During this initial phase, behavioral changes may occur, such as unusual aggression or uncharacteristic shyness. If your dog displays any behavioral abnormalities following a suspicious bite, isolate them from other pets and family members and promptly contact your veterinarian.
- Furious Stage: This phase is marked by heightened nervousness and aggression, with dogs exhibiting excessive vocalization, seizures, and refusal to eat. As the virus attacks the nervous system, dogs may experience difficulty swallowing, leading to the characteristic symptom of excessive drooling or “foaming at the mouth.”
- Paralytic Stage: In the final stage, rabid dogs may lapse into a coma and experience respiratory failure. Unfortunately, this stage often culminates in the pet’s demise, typically occurring around seven days after the onset of symptoms, with death typically ensuing within three days thereafter.
Recognizing these stages and their associated symptoms is crucial for early intervention and ensuring the well-being of affected pets.
Can my dog still contract rabies after being vaccinated?
While no vaccine offers absolute certainty, including the rabies vaccine, it does offer significant protection for your dog against the virus. Prioritizing prevention is paramount in safeguarding your pets from contracting this potentially lethal virus.
Considering the prevalence of the rabies virus, vaccinating your pet is a prudent choice. It’s a safer alternative to leaving them unprotected against such a common and serious threat.
Can a vaccinated dog transmit rabies?
The risk is low, there’s still a possibility for a vaccinated dog to transmit rabies. Consequently, any dog, vaccinated or not, that has been bitten by a potentially rabid animal should undergo a mandatory 10-day quarantine period. If the biting animal was infectious, symptoms of the virus would typically manifest within this timeframe.
This precautionary measure ensures the safety of both the bitten animal and others, minimizing the risk of rabies transmission and allowing for early detection and appropriate action if symptoms do arise.
Can You Test For Rabies?
Facing the grim reality of an unvaccinated dog’s altercation with an infected animal presents pet owners with challenging decisions.
Since there’s no viable method to test for rabies in living animals, pet parents must grapple with the choice of either quarantining their pet and monitoring for symptoms or opting for euthanasia. Regrettably, even if symptoms don’t manifest immediately, pets placed in quarantine are unlikely to survive, potentially prolonging their suffering.
It’s a heart-wrenching dilemma that underscores the importance of preventive measures such as vaccination to spare both pets and their families from such agonizing choices.
Can I vaccinate my own dog for rabies?
If you opt to vaccinate your pet against rabies on your own, it’s important to note that state public health and law enforcement agencies may not officially recognize the validity of the vaccination. Consequently, you and your pet may be treated as if no rabies vaccine was administered.
However, maintaining up-to-date vaccination records for your dog is crucial for demonstrating the absence of a rabies threat. Failure to keep vaccinations current could result in quarantine or even euthanasia for your pet due to the perceived risk.
In cases where dogs have bitten people, a mandatory confinement period of at least 10 days is typically enforced to monitor for signs of rabies development, emphasizing the importance of vaccination and responsible pet ownership.
Is Rabies Treatable?
Regrettably, once a dog contracts rabies, veterinary treatment options are futile. Quarantine or euthanasia remain the only viable courses of action. This stark reality underscores the critical importance of prevention measures. Vaccination against rabies stands as the most effective means of safeguarding pets and their human companions from this devastating disease.
How Often Do Dogs Need Rabies Shots?
While not universally mandated, the rabies vaccine holds significant importance among the array of vaccinations essential for your puppy or dog’s well-being and disease prevention.
At our Fort Collins veterinary clinic, we advocate for the rabies vaccine as a core component of your pet’s vaccination regimen, typically recommended for puppies starting between 14 to 16 weeks of age. It remains a cornerstone in our core puppy and dog vaccination protocols.
Given the natural decline in vaccine antibodies over time, regular booster doses are imperative to maintain immunity. We recommend booster shots for dogs once they reach 12 to 16 months of age and subsequently every 1 to 3 years, depending on the specific vaccine used by your veterinarian.
Are There Rabies Vaccine Side Effects?
The rabies vaccine, like any vaccine, can prompt immune system responses in dogs, leading to potential side effects such as:
- Mild loss of appetite
- Temporary energy loss for up to 36 hours post-vaccination
- Mild fever
- Swelling or soreness at the injection site
- Occasionally, a painless swelling or hair loss at the injection site, lasting for a few weeks
Fortunately, many dogs experience no side effects at all, while any that do typically see symptoms resolve within a day or two of vaccination.
In rare cases, severe reactions may occur, often as an immune system overreaction. These serious side effects can manifest immediately or within a few hours after vaccination and may include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Coughing
- Facial, ocular, or muzzle swelling
- Fainting or collapse
- Hives, which may or may not be itchy
- Severe swelling or pain at the injection site
If you observe any of these symptoms in your dog following rabies vaccination, seek emergency veterinary care promptly how to tell if a dog has rabies.
Can My Dog Get Rabies If They Are Vaccinated?
Despite the slim possibility of a vaccinated dog contracting rabies, the likelihood is exceedingly low. The efficacy of the rabies vaccine is such that vaccinated dogs seldom become infected, even if bitten by a rabid animal.
Note: The information shared here is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as veterinary advice. For an accurate diagnosis and guidance tailored to your pet’s specific needs, please consult with your veterinarian.
SIGNS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Listed below are the 6 signs of dog rabies that pet owners should look out for:
1. STAGGERING GAIT
A staggering gait can serve as an early indicator of rabies in dogs. However, it’s important to note that this symptom could potentially be mistaken for other health issues. Therefore, it’s crucial to closely monitor your dog if they suddenly exhibit a wobbling gait.
While various health conditions could potentially cause a staggering gait, it’s prudent to consider rabies if your pet has had unsupervised contact with unvaccinated animals, both domestic and wild. Promptly ruling out rabies becomes imperative in such scenarios to ensure the health and safety of your pet and others how to tell if a dog has rabies.
2. AVOIDANCE OF WATER/ DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING
Aversion to water, or hydrophobia, is a hallmark symptom of rabies in dogs. Afflicted dogs may exhibit fear or reluctance to drink water due to paralysis of the throat muscles, making swallowing difficult or impossible.
The presence of hydrophobia is a strong indicator of rabies. Any dog displaying this symptom, along with other signs associated with rabies, warrants immediate testing for the disease. Even if a dog shows only an aversion to water without other symptoms, rabies testing should be pursued, although alternative health conditions cannot be ruled out.
3. EXCESSIVE DROOLING
While excessive drooling alone may not always indicate rabies, when accompanied by other symptoms listed or when it produces significant volumes of saliva, it could be a potential sign of rabies. If your dog exhibits excessive drooling, regardless of the cause, immediate evaluation by an emergency veterinarian is essential to ensure timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment how to tell if a dog has rabies.
4. SEIZURES
Seizures, while not exclusive to rabies, can be concerning when coupled with other symptoms listed here or if they occur in an unvaccinated dog. It’s crucial to take your dog to an emergency vet if they experience new or worsening seizures, especially if they lack rabies vaccination.
At the emergency vet, comprehensive tests, including bloodwork, will be conducted to determine the cause of the seizures and rule out other potential health issues, depending on your dog’s condition. Prompt veterinary attention is essential for proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
5. PARALYSIS
Paralysis, especially when accompanied by other symptoms listed here, is a grave indication consistent with advanced rabies. As the disease advances, it triggers progressive muscle paralysis, initially affecting the throat before spreading throughout the body.
Regardless of its cause, paralysis is a serious symptom warranting immediate attention. However, in unvaccinated dogs, it raises significant concerns and should never be disregarded. If your dog shows signs of paralysis, seek urgent care from an emergency veterinarian without delay how to tell if a dog has rabies how to tell if a dog has rabies.
6. BEHAVIORAL CHANGES
Behavioral changes, especially aggression, fearfulness, or unusual clinginess, in a dog exposed to rabies should be regarded as potential symptoms of the disease. If your dog exhibits such behavioral alterations after exposure to rabies, seek immediate evaluation from an emergency veterinarian for diagnosis and guidance.
Behavioral changes associated with rabies can pose significant risks, as infected dogs may become aggressive and attempt to bite. In the event of a bite, transmission of the rabies virus from the infected dog to the victim can occur rapidly and easily. Therefore, swift action is crucial to mitigate these risks and ensure the safety of all involved parties.
