Rabies – A Fatal Disease Spread by Animal Bites
Rabies – Carried by Mammals, Including Dogs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, rabies is a viral infection transmitted by saliva from an infected animal. Only mammals are known to carry and transmit the disease.
Signs of a Rabid Animal:
- Severe irritability. This can include unprovoked attacks or aggressive behavior.
- Unpredictable behavior. Rabid animals often do not act normally. This can include fear of other animals or humans. In other cases, this can result in severe attacks as the disease attempts to spread.
- Severe salivation. This is the most visible sign related to the disease. Rabid animals often show foamy saliva around their mouth, looking like excessive drool.
- Fear of water. After a particular stage, the disease makes it impossible for the infected animal to drink water. This is the cause of the disease’s original moniker of hydrophobia.
What to Do if You Suspect Rabies?
Remember that rabies can only spread due to contact with the infected saliva of a rabid animal. This is most commonly the case after a bite. The deeper the edge, the higher chance that the infection spreads. If the wound exhibits severe swelling or redness, there is an increased chance of infection. Furthermore, if you are unsure, seek a doctor’s assistance immediately. If the dog does not have its shots, you should assume it could carry the disease.
Once the symptoms of rabies, including severe fever, fear of water, or irrational behavior, show, it is already too late. Symptoms could exhibit themselves after incubation, lasting between weeks and months. These are often similar to flu symptoms. When in doubt, seek out immediate vaccination for the disease.
As long as the disease is caught before symptoms are shown, it can be treated. Once the infection reaches the clinical phase, there is a near 100% death rate.
