Rabies is a fairly common infectious disease, which is deadly to humans and certain animal species. Animal rabies is transmitted to a person through a bite obtained from a wildlife representative or pet. A virus of this type can affect the nervous system and disrupt the operation of the spinal cord and brain.
Which animals get infected and get rabies?
Infecting rabies virus can be from such representatives of the animal world as a fox, a raccoon, a jackal, a wolf, an arctic fox, a bat, etc. Also, carriers and transmitters of the disease are often domesticated animals, namely dogs and cats. Rabies is spread only through direct contact. Saliva, which enters through the bite into the wound or on the mucous surface of skin lesions, is an infection-bearing substance. It is worth noting that infection does not occur in all cases of injury from the animal, since the virus can remain latent or in an incubation period of 2 weeks to a year. Rabies in animals spreads through nerve fibers, reaches the brain of the head and back and begins to cause inflammation. Then, for the same nerve fibers, the rabies virus gets to all organs and systems. As a consequence - the death of cells of the spinal cord and brain, disruption of the central nervous system, paralysis and suffocation.
Signs of rabies in animals
Quite dangerous is the fact that the first time after infection, the animal does not show any presence of the virus in its body. Factors affecting the rate of occurrence of signs of rabies are: height, weight, age and species of the animal species. The main symptoms of rabies in animals are
- a change in the style of behavior and inadequate response to others, aggression, alertness, drowsiness or fearfulness can be observed;
- strange eating habits, such as eating grass, sand or earth;
- vivid signs of rabies is abundant salivation, nausea and vomiting, inability to swallow food, etc .;
- disorders in the work of the musculoskeletal system, tremor of the head or separate parts of the body;
- convulsive twitching or muscle contraction;
- the manifestation of aggression symbolizes the rapid death of the animal;
- paralysis of the whole body or limbs separately.
There is only one method of confirming rabies in domestic animals - it is to organize observation of it within 10 days after contact with another animal or when there is any symptom of the above.
Vaccination of animals against rabies
There is a cure for the rabies virus that can make the body produce antibodies that resist the disease. It consists of deactivated elements of the virus, which provoke the immune system to manifest protective reactions.
Animal vaccination against rabies is done by a veterinarian in a specialized clinic. The course of treatment implies several injections, which are done after a certain time interval. Urgent vaccination has no contraindications and gives its result within 2 weeks after the first injection.
Prevention of rabies in animals
If the vital activity of a person or an animal is connected with constant contact with stray or wild animals, vaccination will be the most effective way to prevent infection with rabies. Representatives of such professions as: veterinarian, pastoralist, forest ranger, huntsman or nursery officer must have a vaccine against the virus without fail. Contraindications may include: pregnancy, other infections and allergic reactions to the components of the medication.
To our deep regret, rabies of wild animals is not subject to control and eradication. This is the constant source of the virus of this species in pets and humans.