Rabies

Rabies is a viral disease that can affect any mammal included human and mammals. It can be equally dangerous to human and dogs as well. Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is typically transmitted through bites from infected animals. The animals when infected with rabies suffer deterioration of the brain and tend to behave bizarrely and often aggressively, increasing the chances that they will bite another animal or a person and transmit the disease. Stages of rabies: The rabies is categorized in three stages: First stage: The first stage is a one to three day period characterized by behavioral changes and is known as the prodromal stage. Second stage: The second stage is the excitative stage, which lasts three to four days. It is this stage that is often known as furious rabies due to the tendency of the affected dog to be hyper reactive to external stimuli and bite at anything near. Third stage: The third stage is the paralytic stage and is caused by damage to motor neurons. Incoordination is seen due to rear limb paralysis and drooling and difficulty swallowing is caused by paralysis of facial and throat muscles. Death is usually caused by respiratory arrest. Transmission of rabies: The rabies virus is transmitted through the saliva of an infected host .Usually, the bite of infected host is the commonest way to come in contact with rabies virus. The infected saliva travels through the nerves and spinal cord towards the brain. The virus then incubates in the body for 3 to 8 weeks (depending on species), with no symptoms of the disease present. Once the brain is infected by rabies, the virus multiplies and spreads to the salivary glands and the symptoms of rabies appear. Diagnosis: History and clinical signs that have been exposed to rabies. Microscopic examination of brain tissue-direct fluorescent antibody test (dFA) using samples of brain tissue.

Signs and symptoms: Prodromal phase: first symptoms of rabies The early symptoms of rabies tend to be subtle, last 2 to 3 days, and include the following: Change in tone of the dog's bark Chewing at the bite site Fever Loss of appetite Subtle changes in behavior

Furious phase: "mad dog syndrome" The second phase of infection usually lasts 2 to 4 days and not all rabid animals experience it. Animals that enter immediately into the final paralytic phase are sometimes said to have dumb or paralytic rabies. Animals that spend most of their diseased state in the furious phase are sometimes said to have furious rabies. An infected dog may viciously attack any moving object, person, or animal; a caged rabid dog will chew the wire, break their teeth, and try to bite a hand moving in front of the cage. Rabid cats will attack suddenly, biting and scratching. Foxes will invade yards and attack dogs, cows, and porcupines. They may show the following signs: Craving to eat anything, including inedible objects Constant growling and barking Dilated pupils Disorientation Erratic behavior Episodes of aggression Facial expression showing anxiety and hyper alertness Irritability No fear of natural enemies (e.g., wild animals may not be afraid of people) Restlessness Roaming Seizures Trembling and muscle incoordination

Paralytic phase The third and final phase of infection usually lasts for 2 to 4 days. Initial symptoms include the following: Appearance of choking Dropping of the lower jaw (in dogs) Inability to swallow, leading to drooling and foaming of saliva (i.e., "foaming at the mouth") Paralysis of jaw, throat, and chewing muscles

Paralysis then spreads to other parts of the body, the animal becomes depressed, rapidly enters a coma and dies.

Treatment There is no definite treatment. There have been several reported cases of dogs surviving the infection, but they are very rare. Animals with obvious and advanced signs of rabies must be euthanized. Preventing Rabies: Prevention is only the key when it comes to rabies. Dogs and other pets should receive routine rabies vaccines. The traditional rabies vaccine was given yearly, but recent concern regarding possible over-vaccination in pets led to the development of a three-year rabies vaccine. Vaccination and prevention Vaccination is the best way to prevent infection and properly vaccinated animals stand very little chance of contracting the disease. The standard vaccination protocol is to vaccinate dogs at three or four months and then again at one year of age. A year later, a three-year rabies vaccination is recommended. The three-year vaccine has been tested and shown to be very effective. A few require yearly or once every two-year vaccination for a variety of reasons that need to be explored more closely. The one-year shot is not safer than the three-year shot, and has to be given more often, making it potentially more dangerous. Puppies are generally required to get their first shot around four months, then again one year later and thereafter as required.

The side effects of the vaccine The rabies vaccine for dogs might cause unwanted reactions within the vaccinated animal. There are the effects that could be witnessed within three days of vaccination. They include feeling like to vomit, swelling of the face, getting feverish, loosing consciousness and sometimes death may occur. There are effects that may occur after period of up to a month of getting the shot. These effects would include becoming epileptic, allergic reactions, suffering from digestive problems, muscles could get very weak and even loose coordination, suffer diseases of the skin or even separation anxiety. Ischemic Dermatopathy -- a painful skin disease -- after a rabies shot. After rabies vaccination, your dog may experience fever, malaise or even life-threatening anaphylactic shot. Non-immediate reactions days or even months after vaccination (called "vaccinosis") include, but aren't limited to: Aggression or destructive behavior Obsessive compulsive behaviors (like chasing tails or licking paws) Autoimmune diseases Pica (eating inappropriate materials) Fibrocarcinomas at the injection site

Ways of minimizing the side effects of the vaccine The first and most important thing to do with your dog before a rabies vaccine for dogs is to make sure that the dog is in the best health condition. Since dogs are carnivorous animals, regularly feed your dog with meat so that his or her immunity can be at optimum. In addition, exercise the dog and show love to him/her. You can achieve these two by taking the dog with you during your morning jog or even your evening walk. In the event whereby the dog has had some reactions to the vaccine in the past, then consult a homeopath. He should give you homeopathic medicine which the dog should have in the recommended dosage before the vaccine.

When Should You not Vaccinate? Puppies younger than 4 months A pet that has reacted adversely to vaccination in the past A sick pet, especially a dog with cancer or an autoimmune disease (read this important article on the dangers of vaccinating unhealthy pets) Before, during or after surgery, chemotherapy or other major medical procedure Within 3-4 weeks of other shots