Rabies
If there was ever a disease to strike fear into the hearts and minds of pet owners everywhere, this is it! Rabies is a deadly viral disease that can infect any warm-blooded mammal, including domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, horses, and cattle. As a disease to be avoided, Rabies is one of the earliest to ever be recorded, dating back to almost 2000 B.C. It is found worldwide, except in a few countries, such as Great Britain and Japan, which have strict laws designed to keep the countries Rabies -free.
The incidence of Rabies within the United States varies with each state, depending on the normal fauna found in that state and on existing vaccination laws. It is estimated that over 86 percent of all Rabies cases occur in wildlife species of animals, with about 14 percent spilling over into the domestic pet and livestock population. It is certainly these latter groups that pose the greatest threat to public health. Species that are commonly culprits of spreading wildlife Rabies include skunks, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, and bats. Opossums are noted for their resistance to this virus, and they rarely become infected. Rodents, such as rats and mice, are not significant carriers of the disease, either, since few survive encounters with rabid animals in the first place.
Skunk Rabies is most prevalent in the Midwestern and southwestern states and California; raccoon Rabies, in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States; fox Rabies, in the eastern states; and bat Rabies well, it’s found in all states. Most cases seem to occur during the spring and fall months of the year.
The Rabies virus is usually transmitted via the infected saliva of affected animals through a bite wound or contamination therewith of an open wound or mucous membranes. The disease is uniformly fatal once contracted.
Dogs are a leading host for this killer, and serve as a major vector for transmission of the disease to humans. Studies have shown that Rabies occurs in higher incidence in younger dogs; the median age is about 1 year. In addition, due to hormonally related roaming and territorial instincts, male dogs are at greater risk of exposure than are females. Traditionally, when speaking of Rabies, most people visualize a snarling, frothing dog snapping at anything in sight. While this is true in some instances, pet owners should understand that this represents only one of three stages that are part of the overall disease process.
Depending on each individual case, viciousness might take on a prominent role, or might not occur at all. These three stages of Rabies include the prodromal stage, the furious stage, and the dumb or paralytic stage.
The first stage, which might last for 1 to 3 days, is characterized by a change in the overall behavior of the animal. Normally friendly dogs might suddenly exhibit aggressive tendencies toward their owners or toward other pets in the household. Affected individuals might also hide a lot, preferring to be left alone, and becoming upset when disturbed. Loss of appetite might become apparent, and owners might notice an increased sexual arousal and/or frequency of urination. Once the prodromal stage is complete, the victim then enters into the “furious” stage. This is the stage most persons equate with a traditional Rabies presentation.
Dogs in this stage often become quite restless, excitatory, and aggressive, losing fear of natural enemies. They might wander about aimlessly, snapping and biting at anything that moves. The character of the animal’s vocalizations might noticeably change. In dogs especially, pica, or an abnormal desire to eat anything within reach (rocks, wire, dirt, feces, etc.), might become apparent. As the disease enters the third stage, the swallowing reflex becomes paralyzed, making it impossible to eat, drink, or swallow saliva. This is what accounts for the excessive drooling seen in rabid animals. The furious stage might last for up to a week before progressing into stage 3, the paralytic or “dumb” stage. Pet owners should be aware of the fact that some animals, especially dogs, might skip the furious stage entirely, going directly from the prodromal stage into the paralytic stage. When this happens, the disease can be easily mistaken for other nervous system disorders if the diagnostician is not careful. Because this quick transition can occur, the risk of human exposure is greatly increased. The paralytic stage presents itself as a general loss of coordination and paralysis. A droopy lower jaw with the mouth just hanging open is often characteristic. A general paralysis and death usually overtakes the unfortunate animal in a matter of hours.
Rabies should be suspected anytime a dog exhibits behavioral changes with unexplained, abnormal nervous system signs. Unfortunately, the only way to definitively diagnose a case of Rabies is to have a laboratory analysis performed on the animal’s brain tissue, which means of course, euthanasia of the animal in question. There is no known treatment for this fatal disease; as a result, stringent control and vaccination measures are a must. All puppies should receive Rabies immunization between 3 and 4 months of age. In most states, a licensed veterinarian must administer this vaccine. Depending on the vaccine used and on the state in which you live, a booster immunization is required every 1 to 3 years.
Owing to the public health implications of this disease, dog owners who fail to keep their pets current on this immunization are putting their own health at risk! Other preventive control measures that can be taken include discouraging night roaming and keeping all pets restrained on a leash when walking outside. Repairing or constructing fences and enclosures to help keep wild animals out of a pet’s play area or living area will also help reduce chances of exposure. If a stray or wild animal bites a dog, the wound needs to be seen immediately by a veterinarian, and, depending on when the last one was given, a booster rabies immunization should be administered. The animal should also be placed in quarantine for a minimum of 90 days, unless the particular animal that did the biting can be found and its rabies status confirmed as negative. If the dog that was bitten by a known carrier of rabies has never been vaccinated before, immediate euthanasia is warranted. If an owner of such a pet refuses to do so, then, for safety reasons, the pet should be quarantined for at least 6 months before it is declared uninfected.
Laws in most states spell out regulations concerning vaccinations, bites involving humans, and the ownership of wildlife in order to curb the impact of this disease. Any vaccinated dog that bites a human being needs to be placed in quarantine for a minimum of 10 days to observe for signs of rabies. If suspicious signs appear, the animal is then euthanized, and samples are sent to the laboratory. If there is no history of the dog ever having a rabies vaccine in the past, or if a wild animal is involved, euthanasia and prompt laboratory examination of the brain tissue are warranted to expedite the diagnostic process.
Euthanasia should be carried out only by veterinarians or other public health and/or wildlife officials to ensure that the sample that reaches the lab has been properly handled and stored. Certainly any person bitten by an animal should contact a physician immediately. If the situation warrants it, prophylactic rabies treatment should commence on the bitten individual until the quarantine period is over or until the specific laboratory test results are in. It is interesting to note that because the concentration of the rabies virus in the infected dog’s saliva might be low or even absent in some cases, less than 50 percent of all bites from rabies-positive animals will result in the transmission of the disease. Yet because there is no way of knowing which fall into this category, prophylactic treatment is a must, just to be on the safe side.
Finally, ownership of wild animals, especially skunks (descented or not) and raccoons, should be avoided for a number of reasons. First, there are no licensed vaccines available for these wild animals. Second, because the incubation period of rabies can last for months, owners
might be exposing themselves to rabies right from the start without knowing it. Finally, in many states, it is outright illegal to own such animals without a permit. Parents should always discourage children from interacting with stray animals or wildlife. Their natural curiosity could lead to a serious bite wound and much anxiety, especially if the offender is not found.
Source:
Rabies in cats and dogs
Rabies
The incidence of Rabies within the United States varies with each state, depending on the normal fauna found in that state and on existing vaccination laws. It is estimated that over 86 percent of all Rabies cases occur in wildlife species of animals, with about 14 percent spilling over into the domestic pet and livestock population. It is certainly these latter groups that pose the greatest threat to public health. Species that are commonly culprits of spreading wildlife Rabies include skunks, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, and bats. Opossums are noted for their resistance to this virus, and they rarely become infected. Rodents, such as rats and mice, are not significant carriers of the disease, either, since few survive encounters with rabid animals in the first place.
Skunk Rabies is most prevalent in the Midwestern and southwestern states and California; raccoon Rabies, in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States; fox Rabies, in the eastern states; and bat Rabies well, it’s found in all states. Most cases seem to occur during the spring and fall months of the year.
The Rabies virus is usually transmitted via the infected saliva of affected animals through a bite wound or contamination therewith of an open wound or mucous membranes. The disease is uniformly fatal once contracted.
Dogs are a leading host for this killer, and serve as a major vector for transmission of the disease to humans. Studies have shown that Rabies occurs in higher incidence in younger dogs; the median age is about 1 year. In addition, due to hormonally related roaming and territorial instincts, male dogs are at greater risk of exposure than are females. Traditionally, when speaking of Rabies, most people visualize a snarling, frothing dog snapping at anything in sight. While this is true in some instances, pet owners should understand that this represents only one of three stages that are part of the overall disease process.
Depending on each individual case, viciousness might take on a prominent role, or might not occur at all. These three stages of Rabies include the prodromal stage, the furious stage, and the dumb or paralytic stage.
The first stage, which might last for 1 to 3 days, is characterized by a change in the overall behavior of the animal. Normally friendly dogs might suddenly exhibit aggressive tendencies toward their owners or toward other pets in the household. Affected individuals might also hide a lot, preferring to be left alone, and becoming upset when disturbed. Loss of appetite might become apparent, and owners might notice an increased sexual arousal and/or frequency of urination. Once the prodromal stage is complete, the victim then enters into the “furious” stage. This is the stage most persons equate with a traditional Rabies presentation.
Dogs in this stage often become quite restless, excitatory, and aggressive, losing fear of natural enemies. They might wander about aimlessly, snapping and biting at anything that moves. The character of the animal’s vocalizations might noticeably change. In dogs especially, pica, or an abnormal desire to eat anything within reach (rocks, wire, dirt, feces, etc.), might become apparent. As the disease enters the third stage, the swallowing reflex becomes paralyzed, making it impossible to eat, drink, or swallow saliva. This is what accounts for the excessive drooling seen in rabid animals. The furious stage might last for up to a week before progressing into stage 3, the paralytic or “dumb” stage. Pet owners should be aware of the fact that some animals, especially dogs, might skip the furious stage entirely, going directly from the prodromal stage into the paralytic stage. When this happens, the disease can be easily mistaken for other nervous system disorders if the diagnostician is not careful. Because this quick transition can occur, the risk of human exposure is greatly increased. The paralytic stage presents itself as a general loss of coordination and paralysis. A droopy lower jaw with the mouth just hanging open is often characteristic. A general paralysis and death usually overtakes the unfortunate animal in a matter of hours.
Rabies should be suspected anytime a dog exhibits behavioral changes with unexplained, abnormal nervous system signs. Unfortunately, the only way to definitively diagnose a case of Rabies is to have a laboratory analysis performed on the animal’s brain tissue, which means of course, euthanasia of the animal in question. There is no known treatment for this fatal disease; as a result, stringent control and vaccination measures are a must. All puppies should receive Rabies immunization between 3 and 4 months of age. In most states, a licensed veterinarian must administer this vaccine. Depending on the vaccine used and on the state in which you live, a booster immunization is required every 1 to 3 years.
Owing to the public health implications of this disease, dog owners who fail to keep their pets current on this immunization are putting their own health at risk! Other preventive control measures that can be taken include discouraging night roaming and keeping all pets restrained on a leash when walking outside. Repairing or constructing fences and enclosures to help keep wild animals out of a pet’s play area or living area will also help reduce chances of exposure. If a stray or wild animal bites a dog, the wound needs to be seen immediately by a veterinarian, and, depending on when the last one was given, a booster rabies immunization should be administered. The animal should also be placed in quarantine for a minimum of 90 days, unless the particular animal that did the biting can be found and its rabies status confirmed as negative. If the dog that was bitten by a known carrier of rabies has never been vaccinated before, immediate euthanasia is warranted. If an owner of such a pet refuses to do so, then, for safety reasons, the pet should be quarantined for at least 6 months before it is declared uninfected.
Laws in most states spell out regulations concerning vaccinations, bites involving humans, and the ownership of wildlife in order to curb the impact of this disease. Any vaccinated dog that bites a human being needs to be placed in quarantine for a minimum of 10 days to observe for signs of rabies. If suspicious signs appear, the animal is then euthanized, and samples are sent to the laboratory. If there is no history of the dog ever having a rabies vaccine in the past, or if a wild animal is involved, euthanasia and prompt laboratory examination of the brain tissue are warranted to expedite the diagnostic process.
Euthanasia should be carried out only by veterinarians or other public health and/or wildlife officials to ensure that the sample that reaches the lab has been properly handled and stored. Certainly any person bitten by an animal should contact a physician immediately. If the situation warrants it, prophylactic rabies treatment should commence on the bitten individual until the quarantine period is over or until the specific laboratory test results are in. It is interesting to note that because the concentration of the rabies virus in the infected dog’s saliva might be low or even absent in some cases, less than 50 percent of all bites from rabies-positive animals will result in the transmission of the disease. Yet because there is no way of knowing which fall into this category, prophylactic treatment is a must, just to be on the safe side.
Finally, ownership of wild animals, especially skunks (descented or not) and raccoons, should be avoided for a number of reasons. First, there are no licensed vaccines available for these wild animals. Second, because the incubation period of rabies can last for months, owners
might be exposing themselves to rabies right from the start without knowing it. Finally, in many states, it is outright illegal to own such animals without a permit. Parents should always discourage children from interacting with stray animals or wildlife. Their natural curiosity could lead to a serious bite wound and much anxiety, especially if the offender is not found.
Source:
Rabies in cats and dogs
Rabies
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