Dog’s Rabies And Its Prevention
Written by: Anastasia Spevakina
Rabies is an acute viral disease that occurs in dogs (or humans) after being bitten by a sick animal. This disease affects the dog’s nervous system – increased excitability, paralysis of the respiratory muscles and limbs.
It’s highly important to know how to find if your dog has the disease or not, because -rabies can lead to death.
Nowadays, rabies in dogs is very common. The incubation period of rabies in adult dogs lasts 3 – 6 weeks, puppies – 5 – 7 days. In some cases, the latent period takes up to one year.
FORMS OF RABIES
Violent form.The disease lasts 3-11 days
Dogs become sluggish, reluctant to follow simple commands. They start to hide in dark places, refuse to eat and greedily swallow inedible objects. But sometimes the affect can be different, and a sick dog can become intrusive and overly affectionate, constantly licking the owner’s face and hands. Constantly sick dogs chew and scratch the injection area.
The most important sign of rabies is a spasm of the pharyngeal muscles, when dogs can’t swallow even water. The animal salivates, and his barking becomes hoarse.
Dogs,which have a violent form of rabies, start to be aggressive and then depressive. They weaken and lie motionless, but can become aggressive any time. After a while, sick dogs get the paralysis of muscles, corneal opacity and strabismus. Then the paralysis goes to the front limbs and the torso, respiratory system and the heart. The sick dogs die.
Quiet (paralytic) form.The disease lasts 2-4 days
Affected dogs are very affectionate, but they gradually become restless. The -rabies virus is contained in the dog’s saliva and extremely dangerous to humans. Paralysis develops very fast, and the sick dog dies.
Atypical form
There are characteristic signs of enteritis and gastritis (bloody diarrhea, vomiting), that’s why it’s difficult to find out that the dog has -rabies.
! If there is even the slightest suspicion of the disease, it’s necessary to tie and isolate a dog and contact a nearest vet clinic. Watch the dog’s behavior for 10 days. If during 10 days you don’t notice any signs of rabies, the dog is healthy. But if the dog is sick, it’s impossible to cure him.
!Dogs can be infected with rabies through blood, saliva and bodily fluids. The probability of infection in vaccinated dogs will be much lower. A man can be infected through the dog’s bite (saliva).
Symptoms of rabies after being bitten by a sick dog
After the sick dog’s bite a human can have spasms of respiratory and pharyngeal muscles. He can start being aggressive and have constant convulsions. That’s why it’s highly important to immunize pets and be careful with suspicious animals on the street.
If you were bitten by a sick dog, wash the bite area with soap for at least 10 minutes. Don’t cauterize the wound and don’t make stitches.
Rabies prevention
Vaccination against rabies is obligatory for dogs at early ages. Repeated vaccinations are made every year, but dogs still can get sick. Rabies vaccination prevents illness in 96-98% of cases.
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