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JUNE NEWSLETTER

Rabies Awareness: What Every Pet Owner Should Know

By Krista Albers-Smith, LVT

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system, causing acute encephalitis, brain damage, and eventually death. Transmission most often occurs through the bite of an infected animal, when saliva containing the rabies virus enters the body.

Each year, approximately 100,000 Americans are exposed to rabies. Fortunately, there are fewer than ten deaths annually thanks to prompt post-exposure prophylaxis, which includes thorough wound care, human rabies immune globulin, and a series of four to five rabies vaccinations. Rabies is preventable with routine vaccination for cats, dogs, and ferrets.

The most common wildlife carriers of rabies in the United States include bats, foxes, raccoons, and skunks. Among domestic animals, cats are the most frequently infected species in the United States. Worldwide, however, dogs remain the primary source of rabies transmission to humans.

There is currently no effective treatment for rabies once clinical signs appear in any species, making vaccination essential for prevention.

Early symptoms of rabies may include lethargy, fever, vomiting, decreased appetite, and weakness. As the disease progresses, animals may develop neurological signs such as self-mutilation, seizures, difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation, and aggression.

Two common forms of rabies are observed:

• Furious (“mad-dog”) form: Animals may become unusually irritable and aggressive, reacting to minimal stimulation.
• Paralytic form: Animals develop progressive paralysis, often beginning in the throat and jaw, and may be unable to bite. Paralysis eventually spreads throughout the body, leading to death.

Diagnosing rabies in a live animal is challenging because early symptoms can mimic other diseases. Definitive diagnosis requires laboratory testing of brain tissue, which can only be performed after death.

The state of Nebraska requires pets to be kept up to date on rabies vaccinations as a matter of public health. If a vaccinated pet is overdue and potentially exposed to rabies, contact your veterinarian immediately; a booster vaccination and a 45-day observation period may be recommended. Pets that have never been vaccinated may require strict quarantine followed by vaccination.

You can help prevent rabies by keeping your pets current on vaccinations, avoiding contact with wildlife, and seeking medical care immediately if you believe you or your pet may have been exposed.