Canine Rabies
Once the virus enters the dog’s body, it replicates in the cells of the muscles, and then spreads to the closest nerve fibers, including all peripheral, sensory and motor nerves, traveling from there to the CNS via fluid within the nerves. The virus can take up to a month to develop, but once the symptoms have begun, the virus progresses rapidly. This inflammatory infection also has zoonotic characteristics and can therefore be transmitted to humans.
There are two forms of rabies: paralytic and furious. In the early symptom (prodomal) stage of rabies infection, only mild signs of CNS abnormalities will show in the dog. This stage usually lasts between one and three days. Most dogs will then progress into either the furious stage or the paralytic stage, or a combination of the two. Others will succumb to the infection without displaying any major symptoms.
Furious rabies is portrayed by extreme behavioral changes, including overt aggression and attack behavior.
Also known as dumb rabies, paralytic rabies is characterized by weakness and loss of coordination, followed by paralysis.
Symptoms
There are two forms of rabies: paralytic and furious. In the early symptom (prodomal) stage of rabies infection, only mild signs of CNS abnormalities will show in the dog. This stage usually lasts between one and three days. Most dogs will then progress into either the furious stage or the paralytic stage, or a combination of the two. Others will succumb to the infection without displaying any major symptoms.
Rabies is a fast-moving virus. The prognosis is poor without immediate treatment. Therefore, if your dog has been in a fight with another animal, or has been bitten or scratched by another animal, or if you have any reason to believe that your pet has come into contact with a rabid animal (even if your dog has been vaccinated against the virus), take your dog to a veterinarian for preventive care immediately.
Symptoms to watch for in your dog include the following:
- Pica
- Fever
- Seizures
- Paralysis
- Hydrophobia
- Jaw is dropped
- Inability to swallow
- Change in tone of bark
- Muscular lack of coordination
- Unusual shyness or aggression
- Excessive excitability
- Constant irritability/changes in attitude and behavior
- Paralysis in the mandible and larynx
- Excessive salivation (hypersalvation), or frothy saliva
Causes
The rabies virus is a single-stranded RNA virus of the genus Lyssavirus, in the family Rhabdoviridae. Transmission occurs through the exchange of blood or saliva from infected animal.
Ver rarely, canine rabies can be contracted through breathing in the escaping gases from decomposing animal carcasses. This often occurs in caves with large populations of bats, where the virus is widespread. This may be a concern for hunting dogs.
Diagnosis
If you suspect your dog has rabies, call your veterinarian immediately. If it is safe to do so, cage, or otherwise subdue your dog, and take it to a veterinarian to be quarantined. If your pet is behaving viciously, or is trying to attack, and you feel you are at risk of being bitten or scratched, you must contact animal control to catch your dog for you.
Your veterinarian will keep your dog quarantined in a locked cage for 10 days. This is the only acceptable method for confirming suspected canine rabies infection. People often confuse rabies with other conditions that cause aggressive behavior, so a laboratory blood analysis is necessary to confirm the presence of the virus. However, blood testing for the virus is not veterinary procedure.
Treatment
Unfortunately, for unvaccinated animals rabies is typically always fatal. This usually occurs within 7 to 10 days from when the initial symptoms began.
These are just the basics of canine rabies. Rabies vaccination for your pet is essential. Contact us at All Pets with the link below for more information!
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