12 Rabies Symptoms, Vaccine & Treatment in Dogs & Humans

• comments
• 
• 

Listed below are some facts about rabies including symptoms, treatments, and vaccinations.   

#1: How Rabies Spreads In the Body  

According to Pet Education, the rabies virus usually spreads throughout the nerves of the animal and heads towards its brain. After it reaches the brain, the virus will infect the salivary glands, and can then be transferred through a bite.   

#2: Symptoms and Signs of Rabies in Humans  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the CDC describes the first symptoms of rabies in humans include weakness, discomfort, fever, and a headache.   

As the virus progresses, there can be signs of cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation, delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia, states the CDC report.   

#4: Symptoms during the Prodromal Phase of Animal Rabies  

According to Pet Education, this is the phase when apprehension, nervousness, anxiety, solitude, and fever occur. Animals who tend to be friendly will become aloof and irritable; while usually aggressive animals will become affectionate and docile, says the report.   

#5: Symptoms during the Furious Phase of Animal Rabies  

From the prodromal phase, animals can enter this stage, states Pet Education. Symptoms during this phase include restlessness, irritability, and hyper responsiveness to auditory and visual stimuli.   

Eventually, animals in this phase become disoriented and prone to seizures which could lead to death, reports Pet Education.  

#6: Symptoms during the Paralytic (dumb) Phase of Animal Rabies  

Animals can enter this phase after either the prodromal or the furious phase. It is the stage in which animals salivate due to their inability to swallow.   

Some signs of this phase are labored breathing and a dropped jaw. Pet Education reports that during this stage, animals "get weaker and eventually go into respiratory failure and die."  

#7: Treatment  

The World Health Organization (WHO) states, "Effective treatment soon after exposure to rabies can prevent the onset of symptoms and death." WHO advises cleaning the wound thoroughly for 15 minutes immediately after being bitten or scratched. The organization recommends using soap and water, detergent, or povidone iodine to clean the wound.  

#8: Pet Vaccinations  

According to Pet Education, it is mandatory in all states for dogs to get vaccinated. In some places, it is also mandatory for cats to be vaccinated. 

#9: Human Vaccinations 

WHO states that people who tend to be outdoors or have a higher risks of being exposed to the virus should get the rabies vaccine injected as a precautionary measure.  

#10: Other Animal Vaccinations 

Pet Education reports that there are rabies vaccinations for exotic pets as well like ferrets.