Dog Bites

Rabies

The rabies virus can victimize any warm-blooded mammal, and whenever a human is bitten by an animal, the thought of rabies must cross their mind. The odds of a person being exposed to rabies are fairly low, but more than 30,000 people still receive treatment for possible exposure each year in the US.

Rabies mainly targets the nervous system and can lead to encephalitis. The virus is passed through the saliva of an infected animal and enters the body when its bite pierces the skin. The incubation period can range anywhere between two and eight weeks before any clinical signs of infection show up. The virus normally begins shedding in saliva within the first ten days, shortly before these signs appear.

Humans and their pets will normally acquire rabies when a rabid wild animal bites them. Skunks, raccoons, bats, and foxes are common carriers that will show aggression towards people and domesticated animals. Presently, there are more cats infected with rabies than dogs due to their greater population and tendency to roam frequently.

Signs of infection

Once the rabies virus has made a dog's body its new habitat, its path to destruction can be broken up into three phases. From the onset of the initial stage, the victim has between three and seven days to live.

1. Prodomal stage - lasts two to three days and can be identified by signs such as:
   • Behavioral changes
   • Fever
   • Delayed eye movements
   • gnawing as the site of the bite
2. Furious stage - lasts two to four days and can be identified by signs such as:
   • Moodiness
   • Restlessness
   • Barking
   • Hostility
   • Violence toward inert objects
   • Wandering
   • Possible disorientation and seizures
3. Paralytic stage - lasts two to four days as paralysis begins to set in, usually starting with the part of the body that was bitten. Once the throat and face become paralyzed, the dog will:
   • Display a noticeable difference in the sound of its bark
   • Slobber and foam at the mouth
   • Have a hanging jaw

These symptoms may be followed by:

• Depression
• Unconsciousness
• Death due to respiratory paralysis

Once the prodomal stage begins, no medical treatment will benefit the animal.

Infection prevention in pets

Dogs and cats should be inoculated for rabies in accordance with local statutes. Wild animals being kept as pets should never receive rabies vaccination, and all encounters with wild animals should be avoided. In the event their dog or cat has been bitten by a wild animal or an animal with rabies, a pet owner should follow these guidelines:

• If the pet has been vaccinated, vaccinated it again and keep it in isolation for the next three months.
• If the pet has not been vaccinated, have it put to sleep and give permission for its tissue to be tested for the disease. If the owner refuses to euthanize the animal, it needs to be quarantined for the following six months and be vaccinated at the beginning of the fifth.

This may seem harsh, but it is simply the standard protocol that must be heeded to guarantee nothing else becomes infected by rabies.
Infection prevention in people

Just like pets, people should not come into contact with wild animals either. Anytime you see a skunk, raccoon, or fox roaming around in broad daylight, something is seriously wrong because these animals are nocturnal. You should immediately realize that the animal is sick, and most likely rabies is the cause of its erratic behavior. When a person is bitten by an animal with or without rabies, there are certain stipulations:

• If a person is bitten by an animal in good standing that has received the appropriate vaccination, the animal must be isolated for ten days. If the person was attacked by a wild animal, the animal should be put to sleep and turned over for research. In most cases, the wild animal escapes without being tested.
• If the wild animal escapes, a doctor will determine if the person should receive post-exposure prophylaxis. This type of inoculation is administered on the day of the bite and three, seven, 14, and 28 days after the attack.

It is so important to keep your pets' rabies vaccinations current. Contact your local veterinarian or health department for vaccination procedures. Depending on where you live, some states require an annual vaccination, while others permit vaccinations every three years.