Rabies or gibbophobia, hydrophobia, as this disease is also called - a deadly viral disease that occurs in a dog after the bite of another sick animal. Today, rabies is very common in places where there are many homeless stray individuals who, in turn, can get infected from wild animals. In such areas, people are also at risk, since not only the animal, but also the person can become infected with rabies.
How does rabies develop in dogs?
There are several forms of rabies in dogs.
- At an exuberant form the animal is listless, poorly obeyed, not performing even the simplest commands. The dog jams in a dark place and refuses to eat. Then, this state can be replaced by anxiety, timidity and irritability. The dog looks around, barking, can eagerly swallow various inedible objects, while refusing to eat.
- With paralytic or silent form of rabies, a sickly dog at first can be too affectionate and even obtrusive. She constantly strives to lick the face and hands of the owner. Gradually the animal becomes restless. The first sign of rabies in the dog is abundant salivation with difficulty swallowing and sagging lower jaw. This form of rabies is fast-paced: the dog dies in two to four days after the disease.
- Atypical form of rabies initially has signs of enteritis or gastritis with vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to determine this type of rabies.
How to determine rabies in dogs? A characteristic feature of a rabies-infected dog is a spasm of the pharyngeal muscles, that is, it is difficult for an animal to swallow water. In this case, the dog has a large amount of saliva, barking becomes hoarse and turns into a howl. Attacks of violence are replaced by depression, when the exhausted animal lies motionless. However, any noise or shout can provoke a new attack of aggression.
Some time passes and the dog becomes very exhausted, her voice disappears, her muscles become paralyzed, saliva flows constantly, and the tongue falls out. Gradually, paralysis sprains limbs, breathing is broken, heart work and the dog dies. This form of rabies most often lasts from 3 to 11 days.
The latent incubation period of rabies in dogs can last very long: from three to six weeks. And some animals can last up to one year. In puppies, it is much shorter - from three to seven days.
At the slightest suspicion of rabies in dogs, it must be isolated and as soon as possible to report a possible disease to the vet. For ten days it is necessary to observe the dog. If no other signs of the disease are found, then the dog is not sick. In the opposite case, the rabid animal is put to sleep.
How is rabies transmitted in dogs?
Infection with rabies occurs through the saliva, blood and biological fluids of the diseased animal. A person is most often infected with this disease when bitten by a sick dog:
After biting a sick dog, a person begins to have convulsions when swallowing. Even at the sight or sound of water that pours from the tap, there is a spasm of the larynx and there is a hydrophobia. The patient becomes very restless and even aggressive, he has convulsions of the respiratory system. Progression of rabies is accompanied by paralysis and death occurs.
If it happened that you were bitten by a dog , wash it with soap under running water for at least 10 minutes. Do not apply seams on the wound or cauterize it. We must go to the hospital as soon as possible.