Rabies is a highly infectious, deadly, non treadable viral disease caused by Viruses which include a Rhabdovirus called Rabies virus, others include Lagos bat virus, European bat virus and others
Species affected include
Man
Domestic dogs including the wild dog viz; wolves foxes, coyotes and others
Domestic Cats including wild cats viz: lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards and others
HOW RABIES IS TRANSMITTED TO MAN AND TO PETS
To Pets:
1. Bites from an infected dog or cat(during a fight or play)
2. From bitch to the puppy(mother to child transmission)
3. Uninfected pet licking broken skin of infected animal
4. Contamination of exposed mucus membrane to saliva of infected animal
TO HUMANS:
Bites from an unvaccinated infected dog or cats or infected human, or other infected animal, rabies can also be transmitted through contact with neutral tissues and saliva of a rabid animal
Following bite from an infected animal or person, it take 1 to few hours to weeks or months for the signs to manifest. The height of the signs being barking sounds from the human, and severe respiratory distress.
If prompt therapy is not given to the bitten human, its may reach the nervous system and in which case death is inevitable. Thus following a case of bite from a suspected dog, both a vet and a human doctor should be promptly informed.
The vet needs to diagnose and confirm if the dog is rabid or not, while the medical doctor gives emergency and full therapy to the human based on reports from the vet.
SIGNS OF RABIES IN DOGS
Rabies signs exists in 3 basic stages forms: dumb form, furious form, paralytic form
A. The dumb form is the early stage of infection. It is quiet inapparent the signs at this stage are: unusual calmness, lethargy, changes in behaviour, fever, change in the tone of bark, the pet chews at bite site frequently.
B. The furious form is the second stage. It is the most dangerous period and transmission to other uninfected pets and human through bites is most likely at this stage. The signs here are: aggression, listlessness(being totally uncomfortable, always chases any moving object or being,persistent growling, dilated pupils, seizures.
C. The paralytic form is characterised by: dysphagia(inability to swallow during feeding) difficulty in chewing due to paralysis of the jaw and chewing muscles, the mouth of the pet expresses white foam.
When your pet expresses any of these signs, stage 2 and stage 3 being most apparent, report to your pet veterinarian promptly for proper diagnosis, confirmation and execution of appropriate measures.
HOW TO PREVENT RABIES IN DOGS AND CATS
1. Vaccinate your pets pet. Vaccination is the best and cheapest method of preventing rabies This should be at the first 3 months and first 12 months of its life. After that ensure booster doses of vaccine is given it once every year, or depending on the type of vaccine, once in 4 years.
2. Prevent your pet from playing with other dogs with unknown vaccination status
3. Keep your pet from straying by keeping them in clean environment or kennels. This prevents them from being victims of bites from infected dogs.
CONTROL OF RABIES IN PETS AND HUMAN
RABIES HAS NO TREATMENT!!!
Once your pet gets bitten or a human gets bitten, prompt medical attention should be given from both the veterinary hospital and human hospital.
Report promptly to your vet should you notice any of the signs of rabies infection in your pet. A rabid dog or cat must be euthanized(put down) by the vet in the hospital. This is a humane and most appropriate to rabies as it has no cure; the dog may transmit it to you, your kids or other individuals and pets, it will suffer greatly and eventually die if not euthanised.
For humans rabies antitoxin will be promptly administered in the hospital following report of the case of rabid dog bite to neutralize the effect of the virus before it gains access to the nervous system(spinal cord and brain). If this is not done promptly, death is sure when the virus reaches the nervous system.
Prompt washing of the site of bite with cold water and soap is important in reducing the viral load at the site of bite.
