Rabies Symptoms In Dogs

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Rabies is caused by a virus that an animal can contract if it is bitten by an infected animal. The virus attacks the central nervous system of the animal causing encephalopathy and then death. So, rabies, per se, is a fatal disease to have.

In the wild, the animals that are carriers of the rabies virus are skunks, bats, raccoons, foxes, and rodents. The virus is usually present in the animal's saliva, and can transmit it to a dog or cat when they are bitten.

Rabies symptoms in dogs are as follows:

When the virus enters the dog's body through a bite, it starts moving along the nerves making its way to the brain. However, once the virus enters the body, it has an incubation period. This can last for up to 6 months. And, it can take around 2 weeks to 8 weeks for the virus to reach the brain and affect it. After the virus reaches the brain of the dog, it then makes it way to the dog's salivary gland. From here it can spread to other animals or humans if the infected dog bites them.

The initial stage of rabies symptoms in dogs is exhibiting nervousness, anxiety and wanting to be left alone. The dog will undergo a change in its personality, which will be quite obvious. This is the prodromal stage of the disease.

After this stage, the dog will enter the furious stage. This stage can last for nearly a week. In this stage, the dog will grow extremely irritable and restless. The dog will overreact to the slightest of sounds or sights. In this stage, the dog may be prone to biting people or other animals.

The next stage is the paralytic stage, which is accompanied by difficulty in breathing and dropping of the jaw. Here the dog will have difficulty in swallowing as the nerves in the throat will be affected. Once this happens, the dog will have respiratory failure and as a result it will succumb to the disease.

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Rabies Symptoms In Humans

Rabies is a disease that is caused due to a virus, which can be contracted if you are bitten by an infected animal. Wild as wells as domestic animals can be carriers of the rabies causing virus. While most people think that you can contract rabies only through dogs, getting bitten or licked by cats, horses, sheep, mules and goats can also cause the disease. Wild animals like bats, raccoons, foxes, skunks and rodents are also carriers of the virus. More..