If you have found a dog or adopted a dog whose history you don’t know, be sure to get it vaccinated. Once your dog is vaccinated, you should get a certificate that it has been done for your records. Stray dogs are especially at risk of getting rabies, as they have not been vaccinated. That is why limiting the stray pet population by spaying and neutering is an important part of preventing rabies in general. [3] X Research source
It also makes it unlikely that the dog could transfer infection to a person should the dog bite someone.
Discourage your dog from interacting with unknown animals, domestic and wild. [7] X Research source
To deter wild animals, make sure trashcans are secure. This will assure that food does not attract them in. Clear rubbish and fallen leaves that could act as cover for wildlife. You can also plant plants that wild animals don’t like the smell of or use commercial products that keep wild animals away. [9] X Trustworthy Source National Pesticide Information Center Organization run by Oregon State University providing objective, science-based information about pests and pesticides Go to source In addition, don’t feed your pets outdoors. Leftover food could attract wild animals.
Be wary of approaching animals you do not know or wildlife that is unusually docile, as this can be a sign of rabies infection. If your dog won’t leave the animal alone, don’t put yourself in danger as well by trying to physically intervene.
This is to separate your dog in case it caught infection off the stray and is incubating infection. In this case, it would therefore be a risk to other animals. Sadly, there is no blood test that can be done on a live animal that will confirm if it has an active infection or not. This means the only option is to wait and see if symptoms develop within a six month period. If the dog is still well at the end of this time, the infection is unlikely. This quarantine period may either be in a special state approved facility or within your own home, depending on individual state law.
The virus is only infectious when the animal starts to show signs of the disease. Since death occurs with five days of showing signs, if the biting animal is still healthy five days after the bite, then the animal it bit is not at risk.
The 10 day quarantine guarantees that your dog has not infected the other dog. If your dog does not show signs of infection in 5 days, it means that it could not have infected the other dog or human. The infected animal is only contagious within 5 days of showing the first signs of infection.
It is transmitted in the saliva of infected animals and attacks the central nervous system. [15] X Research source
The virus travels from the bite to the brain via nerves, so the greater the distance, the longer it takes for signs to show up. The strength of the host’s immune system can also determine how long the incubation period is. [17] X Research source Those animals in poor health with weak immune systems will succumb more quickly that fit animals. An average incubation period is on average three to eight weeks. However, in exceptional cases it can be as short as nine days and as long as several years.
The next stage is the dog becomes over sensitive to light and sound. It may have seizures and it may also become dangerously aggressive. [19] 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 Then in the final stages of the disease, the dog develops paralysis of the head and neck muscles and is unable to swallow. This leads to drooling saliva that it has produced but cannot swallow. Death is from paralysis of the respiratory muscles.
