- Common Disease Name:
- Rabies
- Medical Term for Disease:
- Rabies virus is a single-stranded RNA virus in the genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae. It is a severe, invariably fatal, viral polio encephalitis of warm-blooded animals and humans
- Species Affected by Disease:
- Dogs, cats, humans, and all warm-blooded animals
- Age Animal Usually Affected:
- All, but adult animals that come in contact with wildlife are most at risk
Commonly Affected Breeds:- Any
- Sex Usually Affected:
- Any
- Disease Symptoms:
- Change in attitude--solitude; apprehension, nervousness, anxiety; unusual shyness or aggressiveness Erratic behavior such as biting or snapping, biting at cage, wandering and roaming, excitability, irritability, viciousness. Also seen as the disease progresses is muscular de-coordination, disorientation, seizures, paralysis, and change in tone of bark. Excessive salivation or frothing at the mouth is seen because the muscles used for swallowing are paralyzed as the disease progresses.
- Methods of Diagnosis:
- All suspected rabies cases should be securely isolated and monitored for any development of mood change, attitude change, or clinical signs that might suggest rabies. An apparently healthy dog that bites or scratches a person should be monitored for a period of 10 days. If no signs of illness occur in the animal within 10 days, there will have been no exposure of the person to rabies virus. Dogs do not shed rabies virus more than 3 days before development of clinical disease. An unvaccinated dog that was bitten or exposed to a known rabid animal must be quarantined for up to 6 months or according to local or state regulations. Rabies cases must be strictly quarantined and confined to prevent exposure to humans and other animals. There are no routine laboratory test results for rabies. The brain, head, or entire body of a small animal that has died or has been euthanatized because of rabies or suspicion of rabies should be chilled (not frozen) immediately and submitted to a state-approved laboratory for rabies diagnosis by direct immunofluorescent antibody (DFA) testing of nervous tissue. This test is rapid and sensitive. Be extremely careful and use disposable gloves when collecting, handling, and shipping these specimens. It is best to contact health authorities when encountering a suspected rabid animal.
- Disease Causes:
- The virus enters the body through a wound (usually from a bite of rabid animal) or through the mucous membranes as in the nasal passages or mouth, reproduces, and travels to the central nervous system where it continues to replicate.
Treatment:- None. There is no treatment for rabies. Once the diagnosis is certain, euthanasia is indicated. Rabies is extremely serious to the animal and the zoometric potential to people is great. If you have had exposure by contact, bite, etc., see your physician immediately. Local public health officials must be notified.
- Prognosis:
- Prognosis is grave and almost invariably fatal. Nearly 100% of dogs will die within 7-10 days.
- Complications:
- The disease is fatal.
- Prevention:
- Vaccinate! Dogs should be vaccinated according to standard recommendations and state and local requirements. Dogs should be vaccinated for rabies virus after 12 weeks of age, given a second vaccine 12 months later, and then every 3 years using a vaccine approved for 3 years. Avoid exposure to wildlife, especially skunk, raccoons, bats, and foxes. Beware of bite or scratch wounds from unvaccinated dogs and cats or wildlife; avoid exposure to aerosols in bat caves. Dogs entering a rabies free country are quarantined for long periods, usually 6 months. Any contaminated area, cage, food dish, or instrument must be thoroughly disinfected. Household bleach at a 1:32 dilution (4 ounces per gallon) will quickly inactivate the virus.
- Medicines:
- Proper rabies vaccination administered by veterinarian.
