Rabies in dogs: first symptoms and signs, prevention and treatment

Rabies in dogs is a type of disease that every pet owner should know absolutely everything about. The arrival of a puppy in the home undoubtedly brings great joy and happiness. But along with this comes a lot of new troubles and difficulties. And when a pet starts to get sick, many owners panic: how to help their beloved creature, how to alleviate its suffering?

There are many different ailments that dogs are susceptible to. Some arise due to improper care, others due to an inappropriate type of nutrition. And there are diseases that occur due to unforeseen situations. And for some of them, no treatment has been found to date. In case of infection with such a disease, the pet is simply euthanized. Rabies is precisely this type of disease.

To prevent this problem from affecting your four-legged pet, you need to know how to protect yourself and your tailed friend and what to do if infection has already occurred.

What is rabies

Rabies is a fatal viral disease. The virus is a neutropic pathogen, that is, it multiplies and affects the central nervous system and brain. This is what explains the main clinical signs of the disease: aggression, convulsions, reflex excitability, paralysis of the limbs, increased salivation, and so on.

This dangerous disease affects both all warm-blooded animals and humans. The virus is insidious in that an infected pet becomes dangerous from the very moment of the bite until obvious signs of the disease begin to appear. Since treatments for this disease have not yet been developed, there is no hope for recovery. If the animal is not vaccinated, the disease always ends in death.

The outcome is always the same - paralysis and respiratory arrest.

Without a rabies vaccination, an animal is prohibited from participating in breeding, attending exhibitions, or performing service. It is without this vaccination that the animal will not be allowed to travel to other countries and will not be allowed to be transported by rail or air transport.

Questions about vaccinations

Is it possible to drink alcoholic beverages while the vaccine is in effect? In this case, alcohol is strictly prohibited. The fact is that alcoholic drinks destroy the immune system and weaken the effect of the vaccine. Moreover, you should not overload the body. It is important to follow the rules of nutrition and avoid lifting heavy objects;

How long is alcohol prohibited? Alcohol should be limited for six months after vaccination;

Is it possible to shower after vaccination? There are no prohibitions in this regard. However, you cannot swim in rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Until the wound has completely healed, you should stop visiting the pool;

Is it possible to go outside immediately after vaccination? There are no restrictions, but the body should not be overheated or hypothermic. It is not recommended to sunbathe or walk in the cold;

Is quarantine required? There are no strict prohibitions in this regard; you must visit a doctor within 2 weeks. Isolation of the patient from people is not required;

If a dog has been bitten by a dog that has been given an anti-rabies vaccine, does the bitten person need to be vaccinated? Vaccinations are recommended but not required. If the animal is healthy, and diagnostics have confirmed this, the decision to vaccinate is made by the patient;

What to do if vaccination was missed? It is not recommended to interrupt the course, otherwise the prevention method will be ineffective. If possible, the course should be restored;

If a dog bites a child, does he need to be vaccinated? Vaccination is necessary unless it has been proven that the animal is healthy. This way, you will be on the safe side and will not risk the health and life of the puppies;

How long does it take to get vaccinated after a bite? It is recommended to consult a doctor immediately. If you start treatment immediately, your chances will increase. You should consult a doctor within five days after the bite;

Is vaccination necessary if bitten by a cat? Much depends on whether she has been in contact with other animals. Vaccination in this case is reinsurance;

In conclusion, we note once again that humans and animals have a chance for treatment. It is necessary to identify the first signs of rabies in a dog and consult a doctor. Rabies in dogs is not common, such as in foxes, raccoons, and some breeds of bats. It is important to pay attention to your pet's behavior.

Excessive isolation should also be a cause for concern. The dog should not be released into the field where it may encounter wild animals. To protect your pet from rabies, you need to carefully monitor it and undergo a course of preventive vaccinations.

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Routes of infection

At risk are pets living near steppes, forests and exposed to contact with wild warm-blooded animals (raccoons, foxes, wolves, etc.). In the city, the source of the spread of infection, as a rule, is stray dogs.

In most cases, infection with the rabies virus occurs after a healthy animal is bitten by a sick individual. But you can also become infected through saliva, blood and other fluids of an infected animal. Very often, when playing, dogs lightly bite each other’s nose, lips, and ears. And if the saliva of a sick dog gets through the smallest crack or wound (and there are any number of such on an animal’s body) into the body of a healthy animal, then consider that that’s it, the pet is 100% infected.

Even if a new acquaintance has no visible signs of illness, but it is at this moment that the rabies virus goes through the incubation period, then the dog is considered already sick. Be that as it may, it is unfortunate, but in the early stages it is sometimes very difficult to identify a sick animal. Therefore, try to protect your pet from contact with dogs that you do not know or whose health you are not sure about.

Despite the fact that rabies in dogs is spread in several ways, a bite is considered the only proven way of contracting the virus.

The last stage of the violent form

So, God forbid, of course, it’s already clear to you that you have a mad dog. What to do? The most humane thing to do would be to euthanize the animal, thus ending its suffering. There is no healing. Very soon the pet will lose its voice and become exhausted. The lower jaw droops, and paralysis is now obvious. Saliva flows profusely, the tongue falls out, the corneas become cloudy. Further paralysis will begin to cover the entire body, limbs, and internal organs. This torment lasts from 3 to 11 days. The bite of a rabid dog, like just saliva, is fatal, so if you suspect that your animal is sick or a dog with similar symptoms appears near your house, you should immediately call a special veterinary service. In different cities these may be different units, but most often they work at the city veterinary clinic.

Stages of the disease

The mechanism of the onset and development of the disease can be divided into the following phases:

• Phase I – extraneural. It proceeds without visible signs.
• Phase II – intraneural. At this stage, the virus is already beginning to penetrate the nervous system, the brain and spinal cord. At this stage, the first clinical signs of rabies in dogs begin to appear.
• Phase III – dissemination. This is the phase of spread of the virus from the primary focus to all internal organs and blood. Accompanied by obvious symptoms of disease and death of the animal.

Diagnostics

The veterinarian’s task is to differentiate rabies from other diseases: Aujeszky’s disease (pseudorabies), encephalitis, canine distemper. In the last two cases, if you go to the clinic in a timely manner, the dog can be saved.

A preliminary diagnosis is made based on an external examination of the animal, laboratory and pathological-anatomical data, as well as epizootological information obtained for the region. An accurate diagnosis can only be made after the death of the animal. Refutation or confirmation of rabies occurs on the basis of examination of histological samples of the brain for the presence of specific Babes-Negri bodies.

Length of incubation period

The incubation period of the disease can last from several days to several months. In most reported cases, it takes 2-2.5 weeks.

Hence the 14-day quarantine established in case of a bite. During quarantine, the dog is placed in a separate room, monitored and tested. In an apparently healthy dog, but already infected with rabies, the virus is already detected in the saliva on days 5-10, before the first clinical signs appear.

If a dog receives an annual rabies vaccination, then in most cases the disease does not occur and the dog is allowed to go home. If during this period of time the animal begins to show signs of illness, it is immediately euthanized.

The length of the incubation period may also depend on the following factors:

• The amount of virus that has entered the animal's body.
• Depth of the wound. The virus targets the central nervous system and the spinal cord or brain. The closer the bite site is to them, the faster the virus will reach its target.
• Resistance (resistance and resistance of the body to external factors).
• Age. Young dogs are much more prone to the disease than older dogs. As a rule, with annual rabies vaccination, stable immunity is developed by the 3rd year of a pet’s life. Until this time, the likelihood of developing the disease, even in a vaccinated young animal, is very high.

That is why young animals must be protected from contact with unfamiliar and stray dogs. How long a dog infected with rabies will live depends on how quickly the symptoms develop. The torment rarely lasts for 2 weeks. As a rule, the dog dies already on days 5-7, alas.

What danger threatens a person?

According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, each dog owner bears administrative responsibility for compliance with the rules and vaccination schedule, as well as the maintenance and treatment of sick and potentially dangerous pets. Otherwise, a fine of 500-1000 rubles is provided.

Such precautions are due to the high risk of human infection. Rabies is a virus that is dangerous to any living creature: dogs, cats, cows, horses, etc.

More frequent cases of the disease occur in the spring and summer, when stray dogs begin the rut. During this period, animals become more active, often fight and become infected with rabies from each other. They become overly aggressive regardless of the presence of the virus in the blood and pose a potential threat to humans. To avoid such behavior, dogs are sterilized, which saves them from spring mood swings.

Like pets, people can become infected through contact with saliva. The most common route is infection through a bite. Salivation or eating salivated food is considered dangerous.

The incubation period in humans is 9-40 days from the moment of the bite. This mainly depends on the location of the injury. The most dangerous areas are the head, face, neck, legs and wrists. In this case, incubation lasts no more than 5 days.

Actions after a bite are similar to disinfecting dog wounds:

1. The blood is drained a little from the wound to get rid of the virus as much as possible;
2. The area is washed with a solution of laundry soap and water;
3. The bite is treated with peroxide and a bandage is applied to it;
4. It is important to see a doctor as soon as possible.

The disinfection process previously consisted of 40 injections into the abdominal area. Modern medicine is able to cure a patient with a 7-time course of vaccine in the shoulder.

If all the rules are followed, the person is cured without further problems. However, death is also possible. This happens when the vaccination regimen is violated during the course of treatment or in the absence of care and diagnosis for a long time.

The development of the virus in the body is accompanied by three stages. It is important to notice the disease when the first symptoms appear (within 2-5 days):

• the wound aches, itches, does not heal;
• body temperature rises to 38-40°C;
• vomiting and loose stools are typical;
• severe malaise;
• in the final stages, depressive attacks, hallucinations, irritability, and paralysis appear.

Forms and symptoms of the disease

Based on the signs of the development of rabies in dogs, not only stages, but also forms of the disease are distinguished. Each form is characterized by certain symptoms of the disease. All warm-blooded animals show similar signs of rabies. But the clinical picture has been best studied in dogs.

There are several forms of rabies. Veterinary medicine identifies three main ones, on which the clinical picture of the disease depends:

• Violent.
• Quiet (paralytic).
• Atypical.

But there are other forms of rabies. They are not so common and in the entire history of studying the disease they have been encountered only in isolated cases. These forms include:

• Returnable (remittive).
• Depressed.
• Abortive.

Violent form

The violent form of the disease lasts from 5 to 14 days and is divided into three stages:

Prodromal stage

The prodromal stage is considered a harbinger of the disease. It lasts from 12 hours to 3 days. This period begins with minor changes in the pet's behavior, and the symptoms are little noticeable to the owner. The opposite appears in already established behavior.

The previously sociable animal becomes unsociable. The dog seems to be offended by something. She becomes boring, apathetic, stops running and playing, but rather hides in a dark place and avoids people, reluctantly responding to the owner’s call.

But it happens quite the opposite. The previously calm dog begins to fawn, jump, lick his hands, and demand increased attention. These are the first warning signs that you should pay attention to.

After 2-3 days, the first signs of rabies begin to appear. The dog becomes restless and excited, and may jump up and bark for no apparent reason. Shortness of breath, increased salivation and frequent yawning, difficulty swallowing appear. The dog seems to be choking on something or trying to convulsively take in air with its mouth, as if it does not have enough oxygen. Perverted taste and appetite are often observed: the animal can eat inedible objects (soil, feces, stones, and so on). The gait may become unsteady, and the barking may become hoarse and abrupt.

Manic stage

The manic stage is the second and most dangerous stage of rabies in dogs. This is a period of excitement. The pet's condition worsens, apathy gives way to aggression. This stage is dangerous because the animal loses control over its behavior and its sense of fear completely disappears.

In a normal state, when a dog is about to attack someone, he always makes this clear: the ears flatten, the dog bares its teeth, growls, and the scruff of the neck stands up like a dinosaur’s. An animal infected with rabies attacks with lightning speed, silently, without warning. Pounces on other animals, attacks the owner, bites everyone indiscriminately. A sick dog begins to chew on everything: sticks, walls, iron. The grasping movements are so strong that it often leads to jaw fractures.

Bouts of violence, lasting several hours, are abruptly replaced by periods of oppression. Fear of light and water increases. The dog tries to hide in a dark corner, away from the window, lies apathetically, convulsing and greedily “swallowing” air. At this stage, partial paralysis of the laryngeal muscles may occur. It is difficult for the animal to swallow, barking becomes hoarse and intermittent. The lower jaw becomes paralyzed and droops, the tongue “falls out”, increased salivation appears, acquiring the consistency of foam. Strabismus and corneal clouding may occur.

But, despite the visible signs of weakness and apathy, any irritation can again lead to sudden aggression. The duration of the manic stage is 2-5 days, but, as a rule, already on the 3rd day the transition to the next stage begins.

Paralytic stage

The third stage of development of the violent form of rabies is paralytic. It can last 2-4 days. Due to paralysis of the larynx and lower jaw, the dog cannot eat, drink, or swallow saliva. Hence the abundant salivation flowing down the mouth onto the body.

At this stage, the dog no longer shows aggression. By 2-3 days, paralysis already spreads to the limbs. Dragging its paws, the animal tries to crawl into cover, to hide from everyone.

On the 3-4th day, paralysis already affects all internal organs. The animal falls into a coma, breathing stops, and the dog dies.

Silent form

The silent form of rabies in dogs is more common than the violent form. The dog is absolutely not aggressive. On the contrary, she appears excessively affectionate. Appetite remains normal, but swallowing may be difficult. It looks like the animal was choking on something. The dog becomes restless and worries about any reason. Increased salivation appears. A sick animal may experience unsteadiness and uncertainty in its gait.

With this form of the disease, muscle paralysis develops at lightning speed, within 2-3 days. First, paralysis of the pharynx and lower jaw occurs, and then the hind limbs. Death occurs within 3-4 days.

Atypical form

The atypical form of the disease, like the silent form, does not have a manic stage. The dog becomes weak and lacks appetite. Sometimes vomiting and/or diarrhea with bloody mucus may occur.

The pet's condition deteriorates slowly and can take up to 2-5 months. Unfortunately, due to the absence of obvious signs and a sharp division into stages, most often the pet owner does not pay due attention to this form of rabies, citing the fact that the animal has a simple malaise. And wasted time can lead to serious consequences. In the atypical form of rabies, the diagnosis is made posthumously.

The following forms of rabies are not as common and are quite rare. But every pet owner should know the possible signs of this dangerous disease.

Return form

The recurrent form of the disease is characterized by the fact that it manifests itself in an abrupt course of the disease. Symptoms disappear and then appear again. The dog refuses food and tries to hide from everyone. During the period of exacerbation, symptoms characteristic of a violent form of rabies may be observed.

The interval between attacks can last from several days to several weeks. After an apparent recovery, signs of the disease appear again with even greater intensity.

Depressive form

The depressive form occurs quite quickly. At the beginning of the disease, the dog maintains a good appetite, behavior, and there is no aggression. Only a slight weakness may be noticeable. The animal gets tired quickly. Then the condition worsens sharply. Increased salivation, cough, paralysis of the lower jaw, and lameness appear. Death occurs within 3-4 days.

Abortive form

The abortive form is a fairly rare and poorly studied form of rabies. Already at the second stage of the disease, the animal fully recovers. But such cases are rare. So if you detect signs of rabies in a dog, you should not hope for a miracle.

Symptoms of the disease

The main symptom of the disease is a change in the pet's behavior. He can become not only aggressive, but also overly affectionate or simply apathetic. An infected dog may also have:

• photophobia;
• hydrophobia (hence the second name of the disease);
• saliva in the form of foam;
• cloudy eyes;
• frequent breathing.

There may be some other signs, but these are the most common. If you see these symptoms, you should immediately call a veterinarian.

Main symptoms of rabies

Rabies can take several forms. But each of them is characterized by common symptoms, which can be used to identify that the animal has become infected with this particular disease:

• A sharp change in habitual behavior (aggressiveness or excessive affection).
• Fear of light and water.
• Labored breathing.
• Increased salivation.
• Paralysis of the muscles of the jaw and lower limbs.
• Strabismus and corneal opacity.

Forms of manifestation

Depending on the symptoms and nature of the disease, there are several forms of the disease. Their features are listed in the table:

Name	Violent	Quiet	Returnable	Abortive	Atypical
Duration	5-12 days	3-5 days	It occurs in waves, with an interval of several weeks between attacks.	Ends with recovery	Up to six months
Characteristics	The most famous and common form. Changes in behavior are pronounced. Apathy gives way to strong aggression, then paralysis sets in	There is practically no aggression. The condition is deteriorating rapidly	Repeated transition from apathy to aggression with breaks between attacks	A rare and little-studied form that ends in recovery.	There are no characteristic symptoms. The disease has signs of gastroenteritis: vomiting, diarrhea. Because of this, it is often not recognized.

Prevention of rabies

To date, the only effective preventive measure against rabies is vaccination.

Dogs are vaccinated annually, starting at 3 months.

With annual vaccination, stable immunity to the disease is developed by the third year of life.

Therefore, young animals, even those vaccinated against rabies, should be given special attention and control of communication with other dogs.

The vaccine protects the vaccinated animal in 98% of cases. And although the likelihood of infection is very low, you should immediately contact a veterinary clinic if your pet is bitten by a stray dog.

Rabies is one of the most dangerous diseases that leads to the death of both the dog and the person affected by its bite. Therefore, at the legislative level, every four-legged owner is required to vaccinate his pet against this disease.

By law, rabies vaccination is carried out free of charge in state veterinary institutions at the place of registration of the pet owner.

Several drugs may be offered to choose from: domestic and imported. In fact, both domestic and imported drugs are equally effective.

If you are going to travel with your dog only in Russia, then you can choose any of the proposed drugs.

If you are going to travel with your four-legged dog to other countries, then it is better to give preference to an imported drug approved for use in other countries.

During the vaccination period, the animal must be completely healthy. It needs to be dewormed 10-14 days before the planned vaccination date. This is due to the fact that sick and weakened pets do not develop immunity to the administered drug, that is, the vaccination will be useless.

Preventive measures include walking on a leash in certain places where you are sure there are no stray dogs or wild animals. Young dogs under 3 years of age should be protected as much as possible from communicating with strangers, and even more so with stray dogs.

Remember, once a pet is diagnosed with rabies, treatment is no longer possible. By carrying out annual vaccinations, you not only protect your beloved tailed friend, but also the life and health of all family members.

Treatment

To the great regret of many dog ​​owners, rabies cannot be treated. Typically, the animal is quarantined and kept there for up to ten days. During this time, the veterinarian makes a diagnosis using tests and monitors the dynamics of the disease.

Very often, sick and suspected animals are euthanized. This is because keeping and treating infected dogs is a risky endeavor that can lead to infection (or even death) of people and other animals.

Is it possible to cure a dog for rabies?

No. An animal that shows signs of rabies cannot be treated. A virus that enters the body instantly multiplies and damages the body at the cellular level. In a matter of days, it reaches the brain cells, causing inflammation in it, and, as a result, paralysis and respiratory arrest.

If rabies is suspected, the dog is placed in a quarantine box for 14 days to confirm or refute the diagnosis. People who have had contact with the “suspicious” four-legged animal are vaccinated, and the animals are isolated. No treatment is carried out, as this is a huge risk for the clinic staff.

If the condition worsens during the quarantine period, the dog is euthanized so as not to prolong the suffering. The diagnosis is confirmed only posthumously.

Historical excursion

People learned about rabies quite a long time ago - more than 500 years ago. However, it was only at the end of the 19th century that a vaccine against this disease was developed. This discovery was made by Louis Pasteur in 1895.

The vaccine is injected exclusively into soft tissues. However, its effectiveness depends on the timing of the virus entering the body. The larger they are, the less likely it is that a person can be cured. Yes, exactly a person. If our body, even with the help of medications, can fight rabies, then the animal’s body is not capable of this. So, only timely vaccination will help to avoid the death of your four-legged pet.

What to do if a dog is bitten

If your pet is bitten by an unknown stray dog, you need to act as follows:

• Bring your dog home and carefully examine the wound. Since the rabies virus can be transmitted through the animal’s saliva through small cuts and cracks on the body, personal protective equipment must be used during examination. Put rubber gloves on your hands and a medical muzzle on your dog.
• The hair around the wound must be cut off, and the wound itself is washed generously with soapy water with a high concentration of laundry soap (1 part soap to 10 parts water). It is best to thoroughly rinse the wound under pressure. To do this, place the soap solution in a syringe or large syringe (without a needle) and rinse the wound under pressure several times.
• After pre-treatment of bites, you should call a veterinarian at home.

If the dog is vaccinated, then it is monitored and placed in a 14-day quarantine in an isolation ward at a veterinary clinic, or in a separate room at home.

If the animal is not vaccinated, then it is immediately given an anti-rabies vaccine (a special drug for rabies, when administered, the body develops immunity). Next, the four-legged animal is also subject to 14-day quarantine control.

If during quarantine the dog does not show signs of rabies, then the animal is vaccinated against rabies (regardless of whether the dog was previously vaccinated or not) and released home.

If during observation symptoms of the disease begin to appear, the animal is euthanized. The diagnosis is confirmed after death.

Epidemiology

Rabies is a typical zoonotic disease. Its epidemiology is related to the spread of the disease among animals. There are three types of rabies outbreaks in Russia:

1. Natural foci of the disease have been registered in the Volga region, western and central regions, where the source of the disease in 35 - 72% are red foxes. Viruses are also transmitted by wolves, badgers and raccoon dogs.
2. Natural foci in the Arctic (Arctic foci), where viruses circulate among Arctic foxes.
3. In cities (“urban outbreaks”), viruses circulate among dogs, from which they are transmitted through bites to cats and farm animals.

Dogs are responsible for rabies in 60% of cases, foxes in 24%, cats in 10%, wolves in 3%, dogs, jackals, skunks, badgers, bats, coyotes, bobcats and raccoon dogs in 3% of cases.

Rice. 7. In the Volga region, western and central regions of Russia, the source of the disease in 35 - 72% are red foxes.

Rabies viruses enter the human and animal body through bites from sick animals. For humans, bites to the head, neck and hands are especially dangerous. With bites to the head and neck, the disease occurs with a short incubation period and is especially violent. Rabies viruses can enter the human body through salivation when there are cuts, cracks or scratches on the skin, as well as through mucous membranes.

Rice. 8. Rabies viruses enter the body of humans and animals through the bites of sick animals.

Human-to-human transmission of rabies viruses is extremely rare.

What to do if a dog bites a person

Rabies is classified as a deadly disease for both animals and humans. If you are bitten by an unknown dog, the algorithm of actions is as follows:

• If the blood vessels are not severely damaged, allow the blood to drain a little to remove as much virus particles as possible.
• Next, just as in the case of caring for a bitten pet, you must immediately wash the wound with a concentrated soap solution under pressure. Rinsing will be effective if done within an hour after the bite.
• Then you should treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide, apply a bandage and seek medical help.
• Several years ago, a long course (more than 40 injections) into the abdominal cavity was prescribed against rabies. Now a course of 7 rabies vaccines is prescribed to the shoulder area.

If, after being bitten by a stray dog, a person does not consult a doctor in time, then in case of infection and the first signs of rabies appear, it will not be possible to save him.

How to help a bitten dog?

How quickly does rabies develop after being bitten by a dog that has been infected? You can help a bitten pet by carrying out emergency vaccination within a few hours after contact with the infected person. In addition, self-treatment should be completely avoided. The pet must be urgently taken to a veterinarian, even if it is vaccinated.

The veterinarian will provide an immunostimulant that will support the effect of the vaccine and tell you how many more injections of this drug should be administered to the animal. After the therapy, the animal will be completely safe and will not get sick with a deadly disease.

What the Law Says

According to Art. 10.6 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses, dog owners are responsible for violating veterinary rules. Violation of animal quarantine rules or other veterinary and sanitary rules entails the imposition of an administrative fine for citizens in the amount of five hundred to one thousand rubles, for officials - from three to five thousand rubles.

Agree, not such huge amounts. But no amount of money can compare with the danger of losing your beloved pet.

First signs

Regardless of the form of the disease, the first symptoms of rabies in dogs are usually subtle to owners and have nothing to do with the picture that most people imagine when they mention the disease. The pet becomes inactive, does not play, does not run during walks, lies down, and tries to hide from the light. The animal drinks a lot, while refusing to eat.

On the second or third day, saliva begins to flow, and breathing problems appear. Some dogs begin to eat dirt, stones, sticks and other inedible objects. You may experience problems swallowing water and food, and your pet often chokes. This is the silent stage of the disease. It is the same for all forms of rabies, except atypical. The further course of the disease is different. The atypical form has vague symptoms, similar to food poisoning, so the infection often remains unidentified.