As rabies is an infectious zoonotic disease, it can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa. It has a high mortality rate; if symptoms appear, there is almost no doubt that the outcome will be death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “rabies virus belongs to the order Mononegavirales, viruses with an unsegmented, negative-stranded RNA genome. Within this group, viruses with a distinct “bullet” shape are classified in the family Rhabdoviridae, which includes at least three genera of animal viruses, Lyssavirus, Ephemerovirus and Vesiculovirus.
This condition was once known as hydrophobia in humans because it seems to be afraid of water. The reason for this is that when a person with rabies tries to swallow, it causes severe throat spasms. Sometimes the mere thought of swallowing can send spasms and panic throughout the body.
After 2-4 days, rabies symptoms often worsen rapidly. Clinical signs of the disease include nerve problems, which include hyperesthesia and aggressiveness before manifesting as paralysis and death.
The most common way for a dog to become infected is through a bite from an infected animal, where the virus is spread through saliva. Rarely, a dog’s open wound or the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth could become contaminated with saliva or nerve tissue from an infected animal, causing the virus to be transmitted without a bite. be done.
There are two types of classic rage: paralytic and furious. Dogs with the disease may show symptoms of one or both types. Dogs may become hostile and possibly delirious if the rage phase escalates. They might appear to be hallucinating and attacking their surroundings for no reason. The paralytic phase sees the onset of paralysis of many muscular systems in the dog. They frequently lose their ability to swallow, causing hypersalivation and foaming in the mouth, which is considered a classic indication of rabies virus infection.
Paying attention to symptoms and correctly interpreting signs is crucial because it is impossible to definitively diagnose rabies in a living animal. If your pet has been bitten by a rabid animal but is already vaccinated against rabies, the veterinarian will administer a booster rabies vaccine.
Unfortunately, rabies usually causes death in unvaccinated animals. Therefore, an unvaccinated dog that is bitten or exposed to a known rabid animal must be confined for up to four months or, if the owner objects to euthanasia, must be put down according to municipal and state laws.
The rabies vaccine, which promotes the production of antibodies, is the most effective way to reduce the risk of contracting rabies. The Junior Dog Vaccination Plan includes this vaccine as one of many mandatory vaccines.
