What are the symptoms of rabies, and can this disease be treated? These are common questions asked by concerned dog owners. In this post, our veterinarians in Ankeny discuss the signs and symptoms of rabies in dogs and how to prevent your canine companion from contracting this serious illness.
How can a dog get rabies?
Rabies is a deadly virus that can infect any mammal, including pets, wild animals, and humans. Infected animals can transmit the virus through their saliva. This highlights the importance of taking bites and scratches from wildlife and other animals seriously when they happen to your dog.
How to Know if Your Dog Has Rabies
Our veterinarians at Ankeny are frequently asked, "How do you tell if your dog has rabies?" The rabies virus affects the central nervous system and eventually infects the brain.
Some common signs your dog has rabies include:
- Overreacting to light, sound, or touch
- Excessive drooling
- Licking or biting the wound site where exposure occurred
- Staggering or falling, with eventual paralysis
- Loss of appetite or difficulty drinking or eating
Rabies almost always results in fatality. Once an animal shows signs of rabies, it typically dies within 7 to 10 days. It's essential to keep an eye on your pet's health and take them to the vet if you suspect they may have been exposed to rabies. Should your dog become infected, you'll need to quarantine them from the rest of the household, including humans and other pets, while you contact your vet. You'll also need to contact your local public health unit.
Once symptoms appear, vets cannot treat rabies. Unfortunately, if your veterinarian suspects your dog has contracted rabies, they may be euthanized to prevent the spread of the virus.
What is the incubation period of rabies?
The incubation period refers to the duration between your dog's exposure to the rabies virus and the onset of symptoms. In most cases, your pet will exhibit signs of the illness within two weeks of exposure, but symptoms may appear later, even months after exposure. To ensure safety, vaccinate your dog against rabies and adhere to all instructions from your local public health unit if you suspect exposure. In cases of rabies infection in pets, the virus can spread to other pets and humans up to 10 days before symptoms appear in the animal.
Can my dog still contract rabies after being vaccinated?
Unfortunately, like most vaccines, the rabies vaccine is not 100% effective. That said, the vaccine does protect your dog against the virus, and it's much better you get it for your dog, rather than having them go without. Vaccinations are a key tool for preventing disease in dogs, and it is important to prevent your pets from contracting this virus in the first place.
Additionally, it can take up to two weeks for your dog to be adequately protected against rabies after they've been vaccinated, so be sure to keep them away from unvaccinated animals during this time period.
Can a vaccinated dog transmit rabies?
While it's unlikely that a vaccinated dog will transmit rabies, it is still technically possible.
Regardless of vaccination status, authorities must quarantine any dog that's been bitten for ten days. If the dog or cat was infectious at the time of the bite, symptoms of the virus will appear within the animal within 10 days.
Can I vaccinate my own dog for rabies?
Pet owners cannot vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies. This vaccination and all boosters must be administered by a licensed veterinarian for state health and law enforcement officials to consider the vaccination valid. In other words, they will treat your pet as if no rabies vaccine were administered.
You will receive a vaccine certificate from your vet after they have administered your dog's rabies vaccination and boosters to prove that your dog has received the vaccine. This will also confirm the absence of the risk of your dog transmitting rabies to another animal or person.
Keeping your pet's vaccinations up to date is critical, as failure to do so may lead to your dog being quarantined or euthanized due to potential threats. Additionally, if your dog bites someone, you must confine it for at least ten days to observe for rabies development.
How to test a dog for rabies?
Unfortunately, there is no easy blood test for rabies. The only 100% accurate test available requires a biopsy of the brain tissue, which can only be done after the animal has passed away.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.