Rabies is a fatal viral disease that there is no cure or treatment for. The earliest signs of rabies in dogs are anxiety, nervousness, mild agitation, unusual behavior changes, itchiness, and fever. Once these symptoms appear there is no effective treatment. This is true in humans and once rabies symptoms in dogs appear there is no saving the dog. These early signs usually last two to three days before getting worse and progressing to the second stage, which includes aggression (more on that below).
The rabies incubation period (time from of exposure to onset of signs) is highly variable, anywhere from three weeks to six months. Your dog could have rabies virus in their saliva up to five days before showing signs of rabies, making it prudent to use caution around any unvaccinated dog who suffers a bite wound from an unknown animal for a full six months.
Rabies Second Stage
The second phase of rabies symptoms, called the furious phase, lasts one to seven days with signs including aggression, unpredictability, attacking their crates if confined, snapping at apparently nothing, disorientation, incoordination, tremors, and seizures. Depression, lethargy, weakness, and neurologic derangement (e.g., blindness, circling, head pressing) may occur. Death can occur at any time during this phase.
Final Phase of Rabies Symptoms
The final phase of rabies infection is called the paralytic phase. Dogs will begin to drool as they can no longer swallow. There may be a noticeable change in their voice, they will lose jaw tone and function, and they will become progressively paralyzed. Death usually occurs within two to four days.
What Is Rabies?
Rabies is a fatal viral disease that causes acute encephalitis in warm-blooded hosts. It infects humans, dogs, and most mammals. It is usually transmitted by a bite from an infected animal, although infected saliva simply making contact with a break in the skin can do it, too. The virus travels along nerves from the site of the bite to the central nervous system and brain, and finally to the salivary glands. It bears repeating that once the viral infection is established there is no treatment. Prevention is key.
Vaccination is the Only Rabies Treatment
There is no treatment for rabies once symptoms appear. You must prevent it through vaccination. The first rabies vaccine can be given to puppies at 12 weeks of age. A booster is recommended one year later, then every one to three years depending on state and local laws. Booster shots every three years is typically the norm, but check with your veterinarian and local municipality.
While vaccination is preventative, it is also the only treatment available for rabies. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that any unvaccinated animal who is potentially exposed to rabies be immediately euthanized. They also recommend that vaccinated animals with up to date booster vaccinations be immediately revaccinated following potential exposure to prevent the virus from progressing to a full-blown infection. Vaccinated animals whose booster shots which are not up to date may be revaccinated and observed for 45 days. If signs of illness do present during this time euthanasia is, sadly, again the recommended course of action.
The rabies vaccine for dogs is a “killed” vaccine. This means there is no live virus in the vaccine, so it can never accidentally infect a dog, making the vaccine very safe. Having said that, anytime any vaccine is given, there is always some risk and the vaccine although can have side effects.
Rabies Vaccine Side Effects
Reactions to any vaccine may be mild (general malaise and lack of appetite lasting 24 hours or less), moderate (hives, facial swelling, vomiting/diarrhea), or severe (anaphylactic shock, which may be life-threatening). There may be fever and localized pain at the injection site. The rabies vaccine sometimes leaves a bump under the skin (granuloma), which may take months to go away. Finally, there are reports of a rabies vaccine-induced vasculitis occasionally occurring. Vasculitis is inflammation of blood vessels, and it can result in loss of blood supply to tissue. It starts near the site of the injection and can cause hair loss, swelling, pain, and skin damage.
These side effects can be serious, but they are rare and treatable. Dogs that do experience vasculitis as a result of the rabies vaccine may wish to avoid subsequent booster shots if possible to avoid recurrence. However, this is a judgement call on the part of the dog’s owner. It needs to be made with the full knowledge that if their dog does experience exposure to rabies death is the most likely outcome.
