How dogs become rabid. Rabies in dogs: how to identify, symptoms, causes and treatment features

Rabies or rabies is a disease that was previously known as hydrophobia or hydrophobia. This is a deadly infectious disease caused by the Rabies virus, which belongs to the Lyssavirus genus and the Rhabdoviridae family.

Causes of rabies

Such a serious disease as rabies is caused in warm-blooded animals by a special rhabdovirus, which enters the body of a healthy four-legged pet when it is bitten by a sick animal. It should be noted that infection can even occur as a result of salivation, but such causes fall into the category of less frequent cases of the virus entering the animal’s body. The most dangerous are bites received on the head and limbs.

In recent decades, the main source of deadly infection has been wild animals.. The high-risk group includes four-legged pets that live in close proximity to forest plantations, forests and steppes, as well as in epizootologically unfavorable areas. It must be remembered that the risk of contracting a deadly disease exists almost everywhere, and for this reason, the dog owner should always be attentive to the health of the pet and its behavior.

Under natural conditions, many species of wild animals support not only the persistence, but also the spread of the RNA-containing rabies virus. As a result of penetration into the body, such a virus begins to quickly move along nerve fibers and enters the brain and spinal cord, where it multiplies and accumulates in neurons. Next, local changes occur in all brain tissues, as well as multiple swelling and hemorrhages, including degenerative cellular changes.

This is interesting! The migration of rhabdovirus throughout the body of a sick pet causes its relatively rapid entry into the salivary glands, as well as subsequent excretion in saliva, which becomes the main reason for the spread of rabies among animals.

Symptoms and first signs of rabies

From the moment the infection occurs until the first pronounced symptoms of the disease appear in the dog, as a rule, 3-7 weeks pass. However, there are cases of signs of rabies showing in an infected animal even after six months or a year. This difference directly depends on the level of viral virulence, as well as the stability of the immune system and other characteristics of the affected organism.

The degree of severity, specificity, as well as the intensity of manifestation of clinical signs, allow us to classify the disease into forms:

• atypical form;
• depressive or paralytic form;
• exuberant form;
• relapsing form.

As veterinary practice shows, dogs are most often diagnosed with violent, as well as aggressive and paralytic forms.

At the first stage after infection, the symptoms remain subtle to the dog owner. The owner may think that the pet is tired or offended by something, so it has stopped running and frolicking, often lies down and avoids communicating with people. Sometimes, a previously obedient animal begins to behave strangely: it does not follow commands and does not respond to external stimuli. There are cases when the first signs of infection are activity and affection that are atypical for a pet. It is for this reason that any sudden changes in the dog’s behavior should alert the owner.

Important! The most pronounced signs of the disease become, most often, on the second or third day, and are manifested by increased salivation, as well as noticeable breathing problems, as a result of which the dog begins to actively yawn and convulsively take in a large amount of air with its mouth.

Stages of development of rabies

The disease rabies does not develop all at once, but over several main, clinically pronounced stages.

Aggressive form presented:

• prodromal or initial stage;
• stage of strong excitement or mania;
• depressive or fading stage.

This form is the most typical and includes symptoms presented by:

• changes in the animal’s behavior, which is especially noticeable in the earliest stages of the disease. Attacks of unmotivated aggression can be replaced by severe depression, and increased irritability by excessive affection;
• muscle spasms or convulsions;
• chills and fever;
• eating inedible things and objects, including soil and garbage;
• general weakness and discomfort;
• photophobia, which is accompanied by a search for a dark or secluded place with minimal lighting;
• hydrophobia and reluctance to swallow water and food, which is caused by spasms in the pharyngeal muscles.

This is interesting! At a certain stage in the development of the disease, the infected pet has increased salivation, so it tries to constantly lick itself, and the hoarse barking gradually turns into a piercing howl.

The third stage is characterized by the replacement of attacks of aggression with apathy and depression. The animal stops responding to its name and any irritants, and also refuses to eat and looks for a secluded, darkened place for itself. At the same time, there is an increase in temperature indicators of 40-41 o C. A pet weakened by the disease almost completely loses its voice. There is also a clearly visible clouding of the eye cornea. The final stage is multiple pathological processes in the nervous and cardiovascular systems, which is the main cause of death of the animal.

The quiet or paralytic stage is characterized by excessive affection and unusual calmness of the pet. This behavior is quickly replaced by a manifestation of anxiety, minor signs of unmotivated aggression, which is accompanied by an atypical reaction to habitual stimuli, profuse salivation and the appearance of foam. The pet begins to be afraid of light and water, and also refuses food. The final stage of this stage is accompanied by difficulty breathing, wheezing and paroxysmal cough, after which the appearance of muscle spasms, convulsions, progressive paralysis of the pharynx, muscles of the limbs and trunk is observed. The animal dies on about the third day.

Less common is the so-called atypical form of rabies, the symptoms of which are represented by:

• minor behavioral changes;
• slight increase in body temperature;
• changes in taste preferences;
• refusal of usual food and treats;
• developing signs of gastroenteritis;
• bloody profuse diarrhea and debilitating vomiting;
• severe exhaustion and a sharp decrease in body weight.

Atypical form It is presented in several stages, but its symptoms are very similar to many other infectious diseases, so diagnosis can be difficult.

Important! The detection of even minor deviations in the dog’s behavior should be the reason for an immediate comprehensive examination of the four-legged pet by a veterinarian and a detailed diagnosis.

Treatment and prevention

At the first suspicion of rabies infection, especially if the pet has had contact with stray animals and dogs of unknown origin, or has been bitten by them, the four-legged friend should be isolated and contact the nearest veterinary service. The pet must be quarantined, and all people and animals that were in contact with the infected pet are vaccinated.

To protect your pet dog and minimize the risk of contracting rabies and spreading this deadly contact disease, timely and competent preventive measures are mandatory. It should be remembered that the only reliable way to protect a four-legged pet and the people around it is.

Without a vaccination mark, from a legal point of view, a pet does not have the right to attend exhibition events or public places. Also, a dog that has not been vaccinated cannot be transported around the city or taken out of the country and used for breeding. Before vaccination against rabies, anthelmintic measures are required. Only completely healthy pets can be vaccinated.

This is interesting! The first vaccination against rabies is given to the puppy before the change of teeth, at the age of about three months, or immediately after the complete change of teeth. Then such vaccination is carried out annually.

Testing for rabies in dogs involves conducting special rapid tests to determine the presence of specific anti-rabies antibodies in the blood. Sometimes it is used in complex diagnostics when pets are suspected of being infected with the rabies virus. This disease poses a threat to the lives of animals and humans, so dog breeders should have an understanding of how this disease manifests itself. If there is a suspicion of infection, if the pet has had contact with a possible bacteria carrier, you must immediately take the pet to a veterinary hospital for laboratory diagnostics, without which it is impossible to establish an accurate diagnosis.

(rabies) is an acute disease of warm-blooded animals of infectious etiology, caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system, causing serious disorders in the body. Unfortunately, no effective treatment has been developed at the moment, so the infection always ends in death.

The causative agent of the infectious disease is an RNA virus (rhabdovirus). Affects domestic and wild animals. There is a so-called “natural” virus and a “laboratory” one.

IMPORTANT! RABIES IS A ZOOANTHROPZOONOSIS DISEASE, THAT IS THE INFECTION IS TRANSMITTED TO HUMANS. OUTBREAKS OF INFECTION ARE EVERYWHERE. THE DISEASE HAS A NATURAL FOCAL CHARACTER.

The natural reservoir of rhabdovirus is infected carnivores. The deadly virus is contained in the saliva of infected individuals. Infection occurs through contact, through bites, penetration of saliva into abrasions, and wounds on the dermis.

Having penetrated the body, the virus instantly travels along the nerve pathways to the brain, spinal cord, and salivary glands, where it subsequently multiplies.

Rhabdovirus appears in the saliva of infected animals approximately three to seven days before the first symptoms appear. Moreover, the infected individual is already a virus carrier, posing a real threat to humans and other domestic animals. Therefore, rabies infection can occur even if you or your pet are bitten by a seemingly healthy animal.

Forms, stages of rabies

The incubation period lasts from 2-7 days to several weeks. The intensity of symptoms depends on age, resistance, immune defense, virulence, and the concentration of rhabdovirus in the body. This deadly disease in animals occurs in quiet, violent, and less often in atypical forms.

In dogs, a predominantly violent form of infection is observed, the duration of which is from six to ten days. It has three stages of manifestation:

• Prodromal. The duration of the melancholic stage is no more than two days. At this stage of the infection, a change in the dog’s behavioral manners is noted. Animals are greatly depressed, look depressed, hide in dark, secluded places, are reluctant to make contact, and react inadequately to stimuli.
• Manic(excitement stage). The duration of the course is no more than three to four days. Sick animals show causeless aggression towards their fellow animals, other pets, people, including the owner. Aggression is replaced by affectionate behavior. The pet demands attention, licks the person’s hands and face. Sick pets eat inedible objects. Often dogs run away from home and can run 20-30 km tirelessly.
• Paralytic(depressive). This stage, which lasts no more than six days, is characterized by severe disruptions in the functioning of the central nervous system. Paralysis of the pharynx, larynx, muscle cramps, and spasms are noted. The lower jaw droops. There is no swallowing reflex. Saliva constantly flows from the mouth. Loud sounds and the sound of water cause severe panic. Movement coordination is impaired. The pet falls into a coma and dies from exhaustion, impaired respiratory and cardiac function.

It is worth noting that a rabid dog, regardless of the form and stage of the disease, bites humans and animals without barking about the attack.

Quiet, atypical form

The silent form of the disease is characterized by the absence of an excitation stage. Duration - from two to five days. Characterized by general depression, melancholicity, lack of response to external stimuli. Animals die due to paralysis of the muscular structures of the body and pharynx. The disease always ends in death.

Less commonly, an atypical form of the disease is noted in dogs, which manifests itself with atypical, uncharacteristic manifestations for this infection. It occurs acutely, subacutely, less often chronically (two to three months). In animals, changes in behavior, disruptions in the functioning of the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract are noted.

If you notice uncharacteristic behavior of your pet, a change in habits, manifestations of aggression, or if the dog had contact with or was bitten by homeless or wild animals, you should definitely take your pet to a veterinary hospital and have the dog checked for rabies. Do not forget that symptoms increase spontaneously in a certain sequence.

Diagnostic techniques

When making a preliminary diagnosis, anamnesis data, pathal anatomical results, epidemiological situation, and symptoms should be taken into account. A series of laboratory, histological, microscopic, bacteriological studies and rapid tests are carried out.

Considering the similarity of symptoms with other infections, differential diagnosis (ELISA, PCR) is carried out. It is necessary to exclude Aujeszky's disease, canine plague, and encephalomyelitis.

Important! If there is a suspicion of infection, or the animal has bitten a person, the dog is placed in special isolated boxes and its condition is monitored for ten days until the test results are ready. If the diagnosis is confirmed, unfortunately, euthanasia is carried out. Animals are euthanized because there is no cure for this infection.

An accurate diagnosis can only be established after the death of the animals. The resulting pathological material is studied using various methods.

Basic diagnostic tests

The most reliable method, which always confirms the disease, is microscopic examination of the biomaterial for the presence of specific inclusions in the brain - Babes-Negri bodies. Located in the horns of Ammon.

To detect a specific antigen in the brain, a reaction is used diffuse precipitation, immunofluorescence analysis of the corneal imprint.

The immunofluorescence method allows you to quickly diagnose the presence of the virus in the body of dogs. The method detects viral antigen in 93-97% of cases.

Blood test for antibodies

Considering that the virus travels along nerve trunks, it is extremely rarely possible to detect it in the bloodstream. As a rule, if infection is suspected, cerebrospinal fluid is examined for testing.

Serological studies consist of conducting a general, biochemical blood test. A change in the leukocyte formula (leukocytosis), oliguria, albuminuria, glucosuria, and an increase in the concentration of monocytes are noted.

You can test your pet for rabies and determine the strength of post-vaccination immunity. test for the presence of specific anti-rabies antibodies in the blood. This procedure is carried out only in accredited laboratories and some veterinary clinics. It is worth noting that the cost of this analysis is quite high. The results after the procedure will be ready in 10-20 days.

Today, two types of tests for rabies antibodies are carried out - RFFIT (rapid fluorescence focus inhibition test) and FAVN - fluorescent virus neutralizing antibody test, which determines the antibody titer in IU/ml. These techniques are performed on living cultures of cell structures with the addition of an infectious agent to the reaction. 0.5-1 ml of blood serum is taken from dogs.

The test is carried out mainly if you want to take your pet abroad. Many EU countries prohibit the import into their territory of animals that have not been vaccinated against rabies, as well as dogs and cats that do not have the results of this analysis.

You need to take an antibody test when your dog’s blood has developed antibodies to this infection. Specific immunity after immunization is formed a month after vaccination. From now on, you can take your pet to the laboratory to undergo a rabies antibody test. Moreover, after immunization, if there is a need to conduct this test, no more than a year should pass from the date of vaccination. The test must be taken no later than a month before the revaccination date.

If the titer of anti-rabies antibodies is less than 0.50 IU/ml, the dog is revaccinated. A re-analysis is given a month later. The production of protective antibodies after immunization is influenced by several factors: breed, age, individual characteristics of the body, frequency of rabies immunization. Veterinarians recommend monitoring the antibody titer in dogs and cats after vaccination, even if they do not plan to travel abroad.

Many owners take their pets to the country, to nature, to the forest, or to hunt. Do not forget that a dog can be bitten by wild animals that may be infected or carry the virus.

The only way to protect a dog from a deadly infection is timely vaccination.

In the future, depending on the chosen drug, revaccination is carried out once a year. Some vaccines provide immune protection for three years. The optimal schedule of vaccinations and revaccinations will be selected by your veterinarian.

In July of this year in Kazakhstan, a rabid dog bite led to the death of the father of the family. He drove the dog away from his 2-year-old son, hurting himself in the process. Those living in the shepherd camp of the Uilsky district, who were bitten, sought medical help. She saved the child. My father did not follow the doctors’ recommendations and began to notice signs of rabies. The disease led to death.

Such a severe impact of infection on humans makes us look at dogs not only as friends, but also as enemies. We will learn to separate them from the general mass of four-legged animals, we will understand how to recognize the disease and protect ourselves from it and its carrier.

Incubation period for rabies in dogs

Otherwise called latent, that is, hidden. The disease gains strength inside the body without manifesting itself externally. Like most infections, the incubation of rabies has blurred boundaries from 21 to 42 days. Then the symptoms of the disease appear.

You can become infected 3-5 days before the latent stage expires. The pathogen is already active in the blood, urine, feces and saliva of the animal. Therefore, it is important to memorize the symptoms of rabies, catching the first, still minor manifestations of the disease.

A bite is the main method of infection. However, if there are open wounds on the body, the disease can penetrate through them along with the physiological fluids that get into the damage. The latent period for alternative infection coincides with the standard one. However, there are exceptions everywhere.

There are cases when the disease manifested itself after 2-3 months. This applies to adult dogs. Puppies set reverse records. For some, the disease manifests itself already on the 5th day.

The rapid spread of infection in young animals is due to unstable immunity and the small size of the victims. The rabies virus belongs to the encephalitic group, transmitted through neurons at a speed of 3 millimeters per hour. The length of neural circuits in puppies is less than in adult dogs. For the same reason, the latent period of the disease in large quadrupeds is longer than in breeds.

Symptoms and signs of rabies in dogs

First signs of rabies in dogs are far from the generally known picture of the disease in its active phase. The animal begins to give the impression of guilt, bows its head to the ground and looks with sadness. As if running away from guilt, the dog retires and stops frolicking. A long period of lying down begins. At the same time, the pet or yard dweller begins to drink a lot. So thirst - first sign of rabies in dogs.

While lapping up water, an infected individual does not experience the same desire for food. Lack of appetite, especially in a gluttonous dog, is an alarming sign. In some forms of rabies, eating habits remain the same, but swallowing becomes difficult. begins to choke frequently, and not only with bones and large pieces of food.

There is a third trend of changes in the animal’s diet. Some individuals begin to eat stones, wood and other objects that are unsuitable for ingestion.

The first symptoms of rabies in dogs include:

• Diarrhea
• Hoarse and hoarse voice
• Chills
• Fussiness and irritability
• Avoiding bright light
• Hair loss outside of shedding

Afterwards, the clinical picture of the late period of rabies appears. The disease is viral. The pathogen attacks the animal's brain. This is associated with increasing inappropriate behavior and loss of control over the body. So, we recognize the active stage of the disease by:

• Panic fear of water
• The flow of foam and saliva from a constantly slightly open mouth with an evil grin
• Attempts to gnaw one's own tail, paws
• Attacks on animals and people for no reason

An angry grin with profuse salivation also indicates that the dog is ill.

Before death, it stops showing aggression, and can no longer do so. The body is paralyzed. First, the hind legs become immobilized. Paralysis slowly “creeps” to the head. However, a rabid animal dies, as a rule, with its front legs, neck and head still moving.

Violent form of the disease

In fact, it is the active stage of the course of the virus. This period has sub-stages. There are three of them. At first, the dog avoids communication and stops responding to its name. If you still approach the dog, he whines and caresses.

The weasel turns into aggression at the second stage of the violent rabies. Signs and symptoms in a dog during this period are reduced to unreasonable:

• Irritability
• Shyness
• Attacks not only on living beings, but also on inanimate objects

In the third stage of violent rage, the larynx is blocked. The result is wheezing and drooping of the lower jaw. Saliva begins to flow freely from the mouth, releasing in increased quantities. Foam forms near the mouth. The brutal creature constantly howls.

The last stage of the violent course of the disease is called paralytic or depressive by veterinarians. It is preceded by a manic stage, and the first stage is called prodromal or melancholic. The total duration of violent rabies is 5-13 days.

Silent form of the disease

It is confused with Aujeszky's disease. It is also called pseudorabies. The respiratory tract is also affected. With Aujeszky, scabies begins, leading to irritability. The animal's brain suffers no less than with rabies. For a dog there is not much difference. Both viruses are deadly. A person is weakly susceptible to Aujeszky. Rabies affects people with the same intensity as animals.

At one of the stages of the silent form of rabies, the animal refuses to eat, loses weight and becomes weaker

The silent form of the disease lasts 2-4 days. The dog remains docile and eats normally. The virus begins to manifest itself in diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. This causes rabies to be confused with enteritis and other gastrointestinal tract infections. The infected person loses weight and becomes weaker.

Sometimes, at the quiet stage of rabies, paralysis of the larynx begins. Outwardly, it looks like the dog choked on a bone. This version is supported by coughing and wheezing. Owners of pet dogs often get into their mouths. Not finding the bone there, people become infected through the animal's saliva.

Atypical disease

In some sources, rabies is identified as a separate subspecies. Officially, an atypical disease is synonymous with a silent form of the disease. It is called atypical because of the blurred picture of symptoms. While violent rabies is recognized even by amateurs, quiet rabies is also confused by veterinarians.

In addition to Ausenka and gastrointestinal disorders, a nervous type of plague is attributed to rabid dogs. It also leads to paralysis and epileptic seizures. The animal becomes irritable and aggressive. They bring to “clean water”:

• No locking of the lower jaw
• Development of serous conjunctivitis

With rabies, paralysis of the jaw is mandatory; it may not appear at the early stage of the disease, but over time it will help in establishing an accurate diagnosis.

Recurrent form of the disease

It is characterized by wavy, cyclical development. The transition from the quiet stage to the violent stage is repeated many times. Each time the apathy increases, and the aggression increases.

The relapsing form is otherwise called remitting. The concept was originally applied to the daily fluctuations in body temperature during fever. Typically, the fever decreases to 37.3-37.5 degrees with a repeated increase and a subsequent decrease.

At times, cycles of recurrent rabies create the impression of an acute illness followed by a sharp recovery. The impression is false. doomed. Out of hundreds of individuals, as a rule, only one survives. Moreover, the type of illness in this one individual is defined as abortive. In the next chapter we will find out what this means.

Abortion disease

It proceeds typically until the acute stage. Then comes a sharp recovery. Its mechanism is a mystery to doctors. The very concept of “abortive” means “aborted.” The disease is aborted in 1-2% of those infected. Perhaps the percentage would have been higher if veterinarians had not euthanized rabid dogs. They are caught and brought for injections in order to protect themselves and other animals from infection.

The abortive form of rabies is also observed in humans. One piece of evidence is a homeless woman’s visit to a Texas hospital. A blood test confirmed she was infected with lyssavirus. This is the scientific name for the causative agent of rabies. However, the disease could be diagnosed by external signs. The disease has entered an acute stage. Meanwhile, the hospitalized woman survived, quickly leaving the hospital due to the inability to pay for medical services.

The existence of abortifacient rabies gives hope, but should not be an incentive to inaction. The virus belongs to the “rebies” group, that is, especially dangerous. It is important to quickly and correctly identify the disease. We'll tell you how to do this in the next chapter.

How to identify rabies

The virus is reliably “calculated” by taking a blood test from the animal. While it is being processed, the animal is quarantined, or simply put, in a single cage or closed enclosure. Without a blood test, the dog is observed locked up for about 2 weeks. The period is enough to confirm the diagnosis or refute it, without resorting to the study of physiological fluids.

An additional confirmation of rabies during an external examination of the animal can be a bite mark. This is also a reason to vaccinate an animal if the clinical picture of the disease has not yet appeared.

You can verify that your dog is infected with rabies by taking blood tests.

Is rabies curable?

The disease is incurable. They have been searching for a cure for half a millennium. The first mentions of lyssavirus infection are found in records from the 16th century. So far, only a vaccine has been developed. Its creator is Louis Pasteur. This is a French microbiologist. He invented the rabies vaccine in 1885.

A cure for lyssavirus was only “approached” in the 21st century. The medicine is far from classical. They try to treat rabies with coma. Patients are artificially introduced into it. The first experience dates back to 2005. Then American Gina Gies was admitted to the hospital with the first signs of infection. The girl was put into a coma with the expectation that the pathogen would temporarily block the nervous system without leading to irreversible changes.

By turning off most of the patient’s brain, doctors gave the body the opportunity to produce the required amount of antibodies. At the same time, doctors gave Jean immunostimulating drugs. After a week in a coma, the girl began to recover.

The breakthrough with the coma drug is conditional. The method was tried again. Success was achieved only in 1 out of 24 cases. This leads us to assume that those who have recovered have a mysterious abortive rabies, independent of the work of doctors.

Due to the “nebulosity” and high cost, the treatment method for coma and immunostimulants has not been tested on animals. Since the issue comes down to money, a loving owner can pay by organizing an attempt to heal the pet. So far, there have been no takers.

The reason probably lies in the rabies vaccinations routinely given to domestic dogs. In addition, they are less likely to be bitten than wild ones. By the way, it is in the wild that most carriers of the type of virus live:

• Bats
• Skunks
• Mongoose
• Jackals
• Raccoons

In Russian open spaces, the main carriers of the disease are and. Wild cats join them. However, domestic animals are also susceptible to rabies.

Bites from sick wild animals can cause rabies infection

Prevention and treatment of rabies in dogs

Prevention of the disease is a vaccine. Thoroughbred individuals are required to be vaccinated. A vaccination certificate, for example, is required when selling railway and air tickets for four-legged animals.

Vaccinated people who are bitten by an infected animal become ill in only 2% of cases. Typically, these are individuals with weakened immune systems, already suffering from other infections, or exhausted after surgery.

Like the encephalitis vaccine, the rabies vaccine is administered in several stages:

• The first is carried out on 2-month-old puppies
• The second portion of the vaccine is administered after 3 weeks
• The third dose of the drug is given after the change of teeth in young animals.

After the main program, the vaccination continues to be updated once a year. The drug is administered at the same time, for example, in the spring.

Dogs vaccinated against rabies are less likely to become infected.

If an animal is bitten but not vaccinated, the vaccine is administered urgently. There are conditions. For a couple of months after receiving the drug, the animal should not overwork, become hypothermic or overheat. Nervous shocks are also contraindicated. Risk factors weaken the immune system and lead to physical and nervous fatigue—ideal conditions for the development of the disease.

What to do if your dog is bitten?

It is important to exclude self-treatment. The pet is urgently taken to the veterinary clinic. You need to hurry even with a vaccinated four-legged one. The doctor will prescribe immunostimulants to support the effect of the vaccine. Do not forget that 2% of vaccinated dogs become infected. The vaccine, by the way, is free in public veterinary clinics and pennies in private ones. The vaccination will not empty your pocket, but will protect the animal.

Whether the bitten dog is vaccinated or not, he is immediately isolated, excluding contact with other pets, livestock and people. If your four-legged friend is infected, he is unlikely to survive. The priority is to prevent further spread of the disease.

What to do if a dog with rabies bites a person?

An urgent visit to an infectious diseases hospital is recommended. The person bitten will be given a vaccine and may be prescribed immunostimulants along with antibiotics. The latter, as is known, kill all microorganisms, including viruses. The sacrifice of beneficial microflora is justified when life and death are in the balance.

By delaying a visit to the doctors, you may notice the first symptoms of infection. First signs of rabies in a person after a dog bite:

• Pain and burning at the site of the bite
• Having healed, the wounds swell and turn red again
• The temperature rises to 37.5, periodically rising to 38 degrees
• There is shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air
• Difficulty swallowing
• Headache
• Weakness spreads throughout the body

If a person is bitten by a dog, contact a doctor immediately

Having noticed the listed symptoms, one can only hope for a miracle. In case of timely medical care, the chance of survival reaches 90%. As a rule, those who do not follow doctors’ recommendations die.

A man from Kazakhstan, who was protecting his son from a mad dog, for example, continued to work at a construction site, lifting weights and exposing himself to the scorching sun. This, according to doctors, weakened the body’s resistance to the virus and the effect of the vaccine on it.

Evgeniy Sedov

When your hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

The first mention of the disease was recorded in the sixteenth century. The disease was called hydrophobia or hydrophobia. With the development of microbiology, it became known that the causative agent is a deadly virus that affects the brain of all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Pets are infected by stray brothers who become infected from forest dwellers. The disease is dangerous because rabies in dogs in the first stages sometimes goes unnoticed. It is important not to neglect prevention, which can save the life of your four-legged pet and the entire family.

What is rabies in animals

Rabies is a viral disease characterized by severe damage to the peripheral nervous system. Warm-blooded animals, including farm and domestic animals, most birds and humans are susceptible to infection. The virus is resistant to chemical disinfectants and low temperatures. It can persist in the corpses of dead individuals for several years. It dies instantly at a temperature of 100 degrees and within 10-15 minutes under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.

Infection with the rabies virus inevitably leads to death. There is no cure, so pet owners must take preventative measures. In the natural environment, carriers of the virus are wild carnivores: foxes, wolves, raccoons, jackals, hedgehogs, rodents, bats. Within the city limits, the infection is spread by stray cats and dogs. Cases of rabies infection are periodically recorded in all countries of the world.

How is it transmitted?

The disease is caused by an RNA virus belonging to the family Rhabdoviridae (rhabdoviruses). Once inside the body, the pathogen is localized in the lymph nodes and salivary glands. From there it spreads to other organs. Having penetrated the spinal cord and brain, the virus causes irreversible changes in the functioning of the central nervous system. The release of the pathogen into the external environment through saliva is the main cause of the spread of rabies.

Infection can occur:

• in direct contact with a sick animal at the time of the bite;
• when the saliva of an infected individual gets into open wounds, through salivation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose;
• aerogenic, that is, by airborne droplets;
• nutritionally, when the infection enters the body through the mouth with food or through licking objects;
• through vector-borne transmission, that is, through insect bites.

Although these multiple ways of spreading the virus are possible, the only current, repeatedly proven method of infection remains a direct bite. The likelihood of infection depends on the number and depth of wounds received, on the virulence of a particular pathogen and the individual susceptibility of the organism.

The risk group includes pets living near forested areas. An annual rabies vaccination is an effective method of prevention. Lasting immunity is established after the third vaccination. The chance of a vaccinated dog becoming infected is negligible. It is only 2%. Vaccinated animals with weakened immune systems, infected with some other infection, or weakened by surgery can become ill.

Can a puppy have rabies?

Rabies develops faster in puppies than in adults. For some, the first symptoms appear on the fifth day after infection. The rapid spread of infection is associated with fragile immunity and small body size. The causative agent of rabies belongs to the encephalitic group of viruses. It spreads through neurons at a certain speed. The length of neural circuits in children is shorter, so the virus reaches the brain faster. For the same reason, the latent stage in small breeds is shorter than in large breeds.

Incubation period

The incubation or, in other words, latent period, when the disease does not manifest itself externally, ranges from one to three months, but there are cases where signs of the disease appeared six months or even a year after infection. This difference is associated with the stability of immunity, body size and characteristics of the organism of the infected individual. In an apparently healthy but already infected dog, the virus is detected in the saliva 5-10 days before clinical signs of the disease appear. At this point it becomes contagious.

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			Returnable	Abortive	Atypical
Duration			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.

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.

Symptoms

Veterinarians distinguish several forms of the disease. The symptoms and behavior of a rabid dog differ for different types of disease. The most common is the violent form of infection. Its symptoms make up the generally known picture of the disease. There are 5 forms of rabies:

• violent;
• quiet;
• returnable;
• abortifacient;
• atypical.

Violent form of the disease

Symptoms in violent form last from 5 to 12 days. The disease occurs in three stages:

• prodromal;
• manic;
• paralytic.

The first stage of the disease lasts about three days. The manifestation of rabies in dogs in the prodromal stage may go unnoticed, but during this period the maximum amount of virus is released into the environment. You should pay attention to any changes in your pet's behavior. The dog hides in secluded places, avoids light. An obedient pet stops responding to commands. Sometimes, on the contrary, the dog demands increased attention, caresses, licks his hands.

Animals lick, scratch the bite site with their claws, and wounds and scratches appear on the body. As the disease progresses, anxiety increases. Symptoms become severe. Paralysis of the laryngeal muscles gradually develops, which leads to difficulty swallowing movements and excessive drooling. The dog doesn't have enough air. She yawns and makes grasping movements with her mouth.

Then the disease goes into the stage of excitement or, in other words, manic, which lasts 3-4 days. Animals stop recognizing their owners and show causeless aggression. The reactions are inadequate, the rabid animal eats the earth, garbage, and attacks inanimate objects. The grasping movements are characterized by extraordinary force, which sometimes leads to jaw fractures. Attacks of excitement are followed by periods of apathy.

The pet loses its appetite and loses weight. Hydrophobia is observed, explained by the inability to swallow liquid due to spasms of the swallowing muscles. There is a slight increase in temperature. The dog's mouth is constantly open, and the saliva that comes out foams heavily. Due to paralysis of the tongue and muscles of the larynx, the timbre of the voice changes and becomes hoarse. The pupils are dilated, do not react to light, sometimes squint and loss of orientation in space develop.

The paralytic stage lasts from one to six days. At this point, disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system are already clearly visible. Paralysis of the hind limbs, tail, and internal organs occurs, which leads to spontaneous urination and defecation. The sound of pouring water causes panic. The temperature rises by 1-2 degrees. The number of leukocytes in the blood drops. An exhausted pet stops responding to stimuli, falls into a coma and dies.

Quiet

The depressive or silent form of the disease is characterized by rapidity: the animal dies on the third or fifth day. Sick dogs are characterized by apathy, excessive affection, sometimes replaced by an increase in anxiety. There is no aggression. The pupils are dilated. Rapidly developing paralysis of the tongue and pharynx leads to difficulty swallowing and excessive drooling. Unsteadiness of gait is observed. The condition deteriorates rapidly, and the dog suffers from coughing attacks. Sometimes seizures occur. Death occurs from failure of internal organs.

Returnable

The disease in its recurrent form is characterized by a wave-like course. At first, all manifestations of the infection disappear. The disease recedes, but after a while an exacerbation occurs and the symptoms return. Sick animals are characterized by inactivity, which is replaced by aggression, increased salivation, and perversion of appetite. The transition from the quiet stage to the violent stage is repeated many times. Although several weeks may pass between attacks, the animal is doomed. Each time the symptoms get worse. Death is inevitable.

Abortive

A little-studied and rare form of infection is called abortive, that is, interrupted. Until the second stage, it proceeds typically, and then the dog, which has all the signs of rabies, recovers. Why this happens remains a mystery to veterinarians. It is believed that the abortive form occurs in only 1-2% of infected people. There is an opinion that if rabid animals were not euthanized in the initial stages, this percentage would be higher.

Atypical

The atypical form is characterized by a gradual deterioration of the condition and a long course of the disease: from three months to six months. There is no aggression. Distinctive features are disturbances in the digestive system: lack of appetite, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, leading to exhaustion and death. It happens that due to the uncharacteristic course, owners do not recognize the disease as canine rabies, and an animal infected with a deadly virus can infect unsuspecting owners.

Testing for rabies in dogs

If an external examination reveals a bite mark and no rabies vaccination has been carried out, the pet must be tested to detect the deadly virus. When clinical signs of the disease have already appeared, laboratory diagnostics will help to exclude other infectious diseases with similar symptoms: Aujeszky's disease, encephalomyelitis, plague.

The deadly virus spreads along neural circuits and is rarely detected in the blood, so if infection is suspected, it is more advisable to examine the cerebrospinal fluid. For 10 days, while the results are being processed, the animal must be isolated, quarantined in a single cage, and taken out for walks strictly on a leash, avoiding contact with other dogs. If the infection is confirmed, unfortunately, the animal is euthanized.

To determine a dog's immunity after vaccination, there is a test for the presence of specific anti-rabies antibodies in the blood. The analysis is carried out only by accredited laboratories, which are available in some veterinary clinics. The cost of the procedure is high, but this test is necessary when exporting a dog abroad. Many countries prohibit the import into their territory of animals that do not have the results of such an analysis.

It makes sense to do an expensive test a month after a rabies vaccination, when immunization is formed, and no later than 30 days before repeated vaccination. The results will be ready in 10-20 days. If the amount of anti-rabies antibodies is less than required, the animal is revaccinated and brought in for re-analysis a month later.

Is rabies curable?

There is currently no treatment. A pet that shows signs of illness is doomed. The virus multiplies quickly and, moving along neural circuits, reaches the brain and causes inflammation in it, leading to paralysis and death of the animal. In order not to torment an infected animal and to prevent infection of other pets and humans, the most humane method is painless euthanasia with veterinary drugs.

The first mentions in history of infection with the rabies virus were found in chronicles of the sixteenth century. Since then, doctors and scientists have been trying to find a cure for it. In the twenty-first century, they tried to treat rabies with a coma, into which the patient was artificially injected. The first and only successful experience of such treatment was recorded by American doctors in 2005.

The meaning of this technique is as follows: when most of the nervous system is turned off, the body has time to produce the required amount of antibodies. When the treatment was repeated, success was achieved in only 1 out of 24 cases. Perhaps the patients had an abortive form of the disease, and recovery is not related to the activities of doctors. The method has not been tested on animals. There is only a working vaccine.

Prevention

The creator of the rabies vaccine is French microbiologist Louis Pasteur. In 1880, a scientist, struck by the agony of a child dying from a deadly virus, began long-term experiments to create vaccination material. He experimented with rabbits, isolating the virus from their brains and subjecting it to special treatment. For the first time, the resulting vaccine was tested on dogs. 50 individuals were vaccinated. The same number of animals were left for control.

All dogs were injected with the rabies agent at the same time. The results were amazing: none of the vaccinated animals got sick. The vaccine was tested on humans in 1885. A nine-year-old boy was bitten by a rabid dog. Doctors unanimously declared that the child was doomed. Then Louis administered his vaccine. The boy did not get sick, which brought Pasteur world fame.

Rabies vaccines produced domestically and abroad are successfully used to prevent the spread of a dangerous virus. The doctor selects the drug and vaccination schedule. Vaccinate healthy animals. Pregnant and lactating females, weakened individuals are not subject to vaccination. Before vaccination, the dog is given anthelmintic drugs.

Rabies vaccination is carried out in several stages:

1. The first vaccination is given to puppies at two months of age;
2. the second – after 3 weeks;
3. The third dose of the drug is administered to puppies after the change of milk teeth.

After this, the dog acquires strong immunity. Revaccination is carried out annually at the same time. After administering the vaccine, the doctor makes a note about the vaccination in the veterinary passport. Without this document, animals are not allowed to participate in exhibitions, competitions, or transportation on planes and trains. Owners are strictly prohibited from taking unvaccinated pets out hunting. State veterinary clinics provide vaccinations free of charge.

When an unvaccinated dog is bitten, the drug is administered urgently. The disease can be prevented if, for several months after urgent vaccination, the animal is prevented from hypothermia or overheating, excessive fatigue and nervous tension. These risk factors reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. All items that come into contact with sick animals, bedding, toys, and bowls should be burned.

What to do if a dog is bitten

If your pet has become a victim of stray dogs, the main thing is not to panic. Remember that all manipulations should be carried out using protective equipment: rubber gloves and a mask. Saliva from animals with rabies, if it gets from a pet's wound onto damaged areas of human skin or mucous membranes, can cause infection to the owner. To help your pet, you need to do the following:

1. When you bring your dog home, put a muzzle on it, and put on a protective mask and rubber gloves.
2. Trim the hair around the wound.
3. Wash the bite area generously with soapy water. It is advisable to use laundry soap and a syringe to create a strong jet pressure.
4. Take the animal to the veterinarian. The doctor will prescribe immunostimulants that enhance the effects of the vaccine.
5. If the pet has not been vaccinated, it is necessary to urgently administer an anti-rabies drug and place the animal in quarantine. After 2 weeks, revaccination is carried out.
6. In any case, the dog must be closely monitored for at least two weeks.

What to do if bitten by a rabid dog

For humans, rabies is a fatal disease. An infected person will remain alive only if he undergoes a course of preventive vaccinations in time before the first symptoms of the disease appear. Infection occurs through saliva. The disease can develop at lightning speed if wounds on the face and neck become entry points for the virus. Bites on the hands pose a great danger, since many nerve endings are concentrated there. The entry of the virus into the body through wounds on the legs corresponds to a long incubation period.

If you are bitten by an unfamiliar dog, as well as a hedgehog, mouse, fox or other wild animal, you need to take the following actions:

1. Wash the wound with laundry soap.
2. Treat the bite site with hydrogen peroxide and bandage it.
3. Go to the nearest emergency room to prescribe a course of rabies vaccine.

Remember that there is no need to visit the clinic at your place of registration. Any trauma department is obliged to provide assistance to a person bitten by animals, even in the absence of a passport and medical insurance policy. Emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day. Previously, if infection with the rabies virus was suspected, the patient was prescribed 30-40 injections into the abdominal muscles. Now up to 7 doses of the vaccine are used, which are injected into the shoulder area.

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Rabies is a fatal disease of warm-blooded animals. A dog can become infected with the virus from its own stray relatives, who act as sources of the disease after contact with wild animals. Most often, the microbe is transmitted through a bite, but it also happens that the contact of saliva on open scratches leads to the development of this disease.

A deadly viral disease like rabies in dogs does not show any symptoms at first. And from the period of identifying the original signs- there is no longer any faith in the animal’s subsequent recovery. By protecting a pet from such a serious illness with the help of vaccinations, the owner protects himself and everyone around him, since this disease also poses a threat to humans.

Is this what it is?

The rabies virus resembles a bullet - a lethal bullet 150 nanometers in length, traveling along neural fibers from the injection site to the spinal cord and brain at a speed of approximately 3 mm/hour. Rabies belongs to the filterable microbes - small in size, which does not stagnate on bacterial filters.

Infected the pet becomes dangerous after several days (maximum - up to 15 days) before symptoms appear, because in dogs rabies manifests itself after this virus begins to appear along with saliva. Having reached the brain, as well as the salivary glands, the microbe begins active reproduction. Even in our time, there is no concrete information about what is happening at the cellular level. But the results are always the same - paralysis, encephalitis, respiratory arrest.

Typical situation

If you live in an apartment and have a lap dog, you can feel safe. After all, you don’t let your dog go outside without overalls and shoes, buy her food in a special store and visit a manicurist and hairdresser once a week. Your pet lives in a happy environment that resembles an incubator. He doesn’t know true life, he doesn’t feel the risk. It's a different matter when you have a large dog. You need to walk him twice a day and that’s the minimum. The dog needs to be washed in the bathroom and combed. She must be muzzled and led out on a strong leash. However, on walks, an attraction to will will begin to awaken in her.

She will run along roads and fields, barking at birds and trying to catch a bunny, if you are walking away from urban areas. So who can protect your dog from maddened foxes, bats or rats? One bite is enough to threaten the life of a pet.

How does an animal feel when infected?

The first sign of a mad dog is a feeling of guilt. The dog becomes joyless, lowers its head, and looks at the owner with sad eyes. This behavior is noticed by virtually all dog lovers who are faced with this problem. The dog does not understand what his fault is, but he feels it very strongly. Because of this, the dog tries retire, constantly lies, experiences continuous thirst. Symptoms of rabies in a dog can be seen with the naked eye, however, provided that you carefully monitor your own pet and are able to notice changes in its behavior. Lack of appetite is a warning sign, especially if your dog usually likes to eat well.

When asked where rabies in dogs comes from, experts give the only answer: infection occurs through biological liquids - blood, saliva. Often the microbe is transmitted from an infected animal to a healthy one through a bite. At risk are dogs that live near forests, steppes, and at a great distance from the central zones. Stray animals become infected from each other, from foxes, raccoons, cats and other warm-blooded animals.

Even a dog living in a house that does not go outside has the potential to be harmed by a rat that may enter the home. In the case where the dogs are considered old friends and did not bite each other, but only licked their lips, it is quite possible that through saliva and the smallest crack the microbe can penetrate into a healthy body. It can also pass to humans if biological fluid from an infected dog (bite) gets on damaged skin.

Symptoms of rabies in dogs and their stages

In the majority of cases, rabies in dogs goes away in a violent form within 5–10 days with distinct signs and division into stages:

There is also a recurrent, silent, atypical and abortive form of the disease. In the case of the quiet form, in the absence of anger, paralysis of the pharynx and limbs progresses. With a recurrent form, a cure is possible, but after 3-4 weeks the same symptoms appear again; with an abortive form (little studied and rare), a complete recovery occurs in the second stage. Atypically, the disease continues for a long time, up to 5 months, without division into stages.

Incubation period of rabies in animals

The final point of the virus is the brain and spinal cord. The closer the bite site is to them, the faster it will affect these organs, and the symptoms of rabies will appear in the dog. The length of the incubation period is determined by the amount of virus that has entered the body. Susceptibility The disease is caused by age - young dogs become infected much more often and faster than older dogs. The incubation stage is secretive and can last from 3 to 6 weeks. Most often, it lasts a long time; in some individuals the disease does not manifest itself for a year. The microbe is concentrated in saliva after 10 days, from that moment the dog is considered dangerous.

Symptoms of rabies in animals

It is important to understand how rabies manifests itself in animals in order to promptly isolate the infected animal. A dangerous disease in a dog can be determined by the fact that it looks exhausted, the pet has profuse salivation from the mouth, a protruding tongue is visible, strabismus and clouding of the cornea begin. Signs rabies in dogs are:

The very first signs of a mad dog

Rabies in animals is very insidious; the first signs in children can appear after any time. If they were noticed after interacting with a suspicious animal, it is recommended to show the dog to a doctor. Most often, young individuals become infected faster than older ones, since the latter have a more resistant nervous system. Rabies in a dog can be determined by these first steps: signs:

• Frequent yawning;
• With its mouth open, the pet seems to forget to cover its mouth;
• Jaw spasms, the dog seems to “swallow” air;
• Impotence;
• Hallucinations;
• Sudden mood swings.

How can you test your pet for rabies?

If a dog owner notices signs of infection with this terrible disease, then it is necessary to immediately take the following steps: measures:

1. Isolate the pet from other relatives, including people;
2. Bring him to the hospital. Much to our chagrin, there are no specific ways for living creatures to determine whether an animal has rabies. The doctor quarantines the dog for 10 days and monitors its behavior. Almost no tests are carried out on live dogs for this disease, because the creature poses a danger to clinic workers. If, during quarantine, rabies in dogs shows obvious signs, the four-legged animal is euthanized so as not to continue its torment. There is no treatment, including one that alleviates the condition. A clear diagnosis is made after death.

Is it possible to cure a dog for rabies?

As sad as it may be, rabies in dogs cannot be cured. Suspicious and unhealthy animals are euthanized so as not to continue their suffering. The clear and correct solution is considered vaccination pupils, which is held every year. If the owner does not give the dog an anti-rabies injection in advance, the animal may die from various viruses that affect its behavior. The doctor can play it safe by quarantining a dog that has contracted coronavirus or distemper, after which the four-legged animal will die without treatment. And the dog could continue to live if the owner had vaccinated it against the terrible virus in time.

How long can a mad dog live?

During the incubation period, signs of the disease are insignificant, although the animal already has rabies and is also contagious. After this period, the pet begins to show symptoms, the main ones are fear of water, inability to drink and anger. The lifespan of a dog after the onset of the first signs of the disease varies from 2 to 11 days, regardless of the type of illness. After which the sufferer dies.

Preventing animals from rabies

Vaccination of animals against rabies, which should be carried out every year, will undoubtedly help to the maximum insure pet from infection. Each owner, from the point of view of the law, is obliged to give the pupil this vaccination. If the dog is not vaccinated, it is prohibited to take the dog outside the border, take it to various exhibitions, or take it on public transport. The vaccination is cheap (can be done free of charge in municipal institutions), is absolutely not dangerous and does not cause an allergic reaction.