Contrary to popular belief, dogs often don’t experience a fear of water when they have rabies. This is a symptom of rabies in humans. [2] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source At this point, you should inspect your dog for any signs of injuries or bites. If you find any, bring your dog to the vet right away. These symptoms are also normal signs of illnesses and might not have anything to do with rabies. It’s important to contact your vet if your dog shows these symptoms after receiving an animal bite or getting into a fight with another animal.
Aggression is usually considered the telltale sign of rabies, but this doesn’t always happen. More so, the telltale sign is the personality change. Your dog may also experience trouble swallowing at this stage. Check if they spit out their food or seem agitated around food and water.
Use extreme caution if you check your dog’s mouth because rabies is transmitted through the saliva. Don’t touch your dog’s mouth. Try to look from a distance.
Your dog may also experience trembling and seizures at this point. These usually cause death in the late stage If your dog was acting aggressively, the aggression usually passes at this stage. Dogs suffering from late-stage rabies are much more docile.
The optimal time for treatment is less than 3 days after your dog is bitten. After that time, the chances of the virus starting is much higher. Don’t touch the area around the bite without gloves on. Rabies is transmitted through saliva, so you could infect yourself if you touch it. Unless you know for sure that the animal that bit your dog doesn’t have rabies, it’s safest to respond as if the animal was rabid. Even if you know the animal wasn’t rapid, you should still take your dog to the vet for an exam.
If your dog was bitten by another dog, check with the owner to see if that dog is up to date with its rabies vaccines. Regardless, follow the same procedure and bring your dog to the vet. Do not try to capture the animal that bit your dog yourself. This is dangerous, and you should focus on getting your dog help instead.
Even if your dog is not up to date on their rabies shots, a booster vaccine will still work if they’ve ever had a shot in the past. Unfortunately, if your dog has never had a rabies vaccine and the animal that bit them tests positive for rabies, local law may require the vet to euthanize your dog. This is because your dog will almost certainly develop rabies and pose a danger to you and the community.
Just because your dog gets sick after the bite, it doesn’t mean they have rabies. It could be unrelated. Still, call your vet if your dog shows any signs of illness. In some cases, the vet may want to keep your dog for observation in the office. They may do this if the animal that bit them tests positive for rabies.
It may be difficult for you to call animal control on your dog, but remember that your dog is dangerous if they’re showing aggression. They could hurt someone or spread the disease to others. If your dog bites you or someone else and you suspect it may have rabies, it has to be isolated for 10 days at the vet’s office. The vet will observe the dog for signs of rabies during this time and release them if no symptoms appear. [10] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
