The official name for rabies is hydrophobia. The disease is viral in nature and affects the nervous system of the animal. In most cases, it leads to death. Before listing the signs of rabies in a dog, it should be noted that the virus is resistant to low temperatures, but not resistant to high. It should also be remembered that it is very sensitive to direct sunlight.
Who is sick with them
In nature, the disease primarily affects wild animals - wolves, foxes, ferrets, etc. A pet can become infected from a bite or contact with infected saliva on an injured area of \u200b\u200bthe skin. That is why all dog owners should be aware of the signs of rabies in a dog.
Symptomatics
The virus quickly penetrates the spinal cord and brain, after which it spreads throughout the body. Throughout the incubation period, the animal is dangerous (on average, from ten days to several weeks).
Quarantine
If your pet had a fight on the street with a homeless animal, you should not wait until the first signs of rabies in the dog appear. Contact your veterinarian as soon as possible - most likely, your four-legged friend will have to be quarantined, that is, isolated - otherwise, he may attack a person or animal and infect them. If necessary, quarantine can last up to two months; the purpose of this event is to wait for symptoms to appear.
Clinical picture of the disease
Signs of rabies in a dog can be different. Veterinarians distinguish three forms of the disease - violent, quiet and atypical. The violent form, in turn, goes through several stages. First, the animal tries to hide from people, while the bite itches and itches. After that, aggression is manifested in the behavior of the dog - he worries, rushes about, barks hoarsely. This stage is characterized by attempts to attack people and other animals; besides, the dog cannot drink water. In the third stage, convulsions begin. The animal no longer tries to get up and eventually dies. On average, violent rabies lasts about four days. Signs of rabies in a dog in its silent form are profuse salivation, refusal to eat, and convulsions. The atypical form is the most difficult to diagnose. The disease in this case can last up to six months, accompanied by symptoms such as diarrhea and depression.
Rabies in humans
How a dog with rabies behaves, we figured it out. However, not everyone knows that this disease can also develop in humans, and it is also divided into three stages. The first of them is characterized by general malaise, constant headaches.pain, fever, and loss of appetite. In a person,
infected with rabies, there may be an unmotivated feeling of fear, anxiety. After a few days, the excitement builds up. There are attacks of rabies (when you try to swallow the liquid, the muscles of the throat involuntarily contract). It hurts to breathe. A week later, hydrophobia disappears, the patient calms down - remission occurs. However, deterioration sets in very soon - convulsions become more frequent, limbs become paralyzed.
Treatment
It should be emphasized that there is no cure for rabies as such. If you have started the disease at least to the first stage, death is inevitable. That is why, if you were attacked by a homeless animal, you must immediately visit the emergency room and get vaccinated.
