Did you know that more than 55,000 people die every year from rabies around the world and that dogs are the source of 99% of human rabies deaths? Rabies is an infectious and zoonotic (transferable from animals to humans) disease that affects warm blooded animals and humans all over the world. It is transferred through saliva mainly from bite wounds. It affects the central nervous system and travels to the brain, eventually to the salivary glands which results in excessive drooling or frothing from the mouth which is the most common and most recognized symptom of the disease. The end result for an animal or human that gets affected with rabies is ultimately death.
The incubation period in warm blooded animals varies depending on where the animal is bitten on its body by the infected animal. Back leg = longer time for symptoms to appear as it takes longer for the virus to reach the brain. Front leg = shorter time as theses areas are closer to the brain. The approximate time from when you start seeing symptoms till death is about 10 days in animals.
Symptoms in animals appear in two different forms, "Dumb" and "Furious". Furious rabies is the style you would associate with dogs from movies such as "Old Yellar" and "Cujo". In the movie "Old Yellar" they use the term "hydrophobia" for rabies which means the animal has a fear of water but in reality they actually aren't scared of the water but they are unable to swallow it because. The animal may change its behavior and become restless, confused, and may bite anything that gets in its way. Eventually the animal will become paralyzed in various areas of the body, and approximately 10 days after the animal begins showing these symptoms they are dead.
Sometimes the animal can have opposite symptoms, such as a behavior change, a not so affectionate animal may become more affectionate, or an outgoing pet may become withdrawn. An animal with "dumb" like symptoms may try to hide more.
Not all animals with rabies will show these exact symptoms and different species show different symptoms. If you see a fox or skunk that is no longer scared or shy of people and is walking around your yard in bright day light could be a possible rabies carrier.
Cattle may become paralyzed in their throat, excessive drooling, extreme vocalizing or "mooing", and are unable to swallow their food. When handling a downer cow or checking inside a cow's mouth if they are not swallowing properly it is important to always wear gloves. Head for the Hills has diagnosed multiple rabies cases in different species including cattle, cats and skunks. Any animal that is having abnormal behavior should be considered for rabies especially in our area and reported to your local veterinarian or to CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) immediately.
It's not just rural farm dogs that should be vaccinated for rabies, dogs and cats that live in town should be vaccinated for it also. Many people think that because they live in town that there pet will most likely never be exposed to wildlife but the truth is wildlife does wonder into towns and cities every so often. It is also a well known fact that a rabid animal may wonder into town as they are no longer scared of people and will wonder around in the daylight. It is a good idea to vaccinate all pets because of this reason.
Vaccinating your feline or canine friend will help them with some protection against rabies. Any non-vaccinated pet that is bitten by a wild animal positive with rabies is euthanized so testing can be done. The only way to test for rabies is with a brain sample so the pet must be euthanized first. By vaccinating your pet yearly for rabies you are protecting your pet and yourself. When we vaccinate them it allows their body to build up antibodies to fight off the virus if they are ever bitten by a rabid animal. Every pet in this area should be vaccinated yearly for rabies especially for your own sake and the sake of your family and children that spend time with pets.
There were 23 positive rabies samples last year in Saskatchewan alone, the second highest total in all of Canada. There were a total of 89 positive rabies samples in Canada last year. In Saskatchewan within the last five years there have been a total of 118 positive cases, most of them were found in skunks. Also if you are a family with children, 40% of people who are bitten by suspect rabid animals are children under 15 years of age.
Teaching children to stay away from stray animals is a good preventative measure. Stray animals are often not vaccinated and may bite unsuspecting young person. People can also be vaccinated for rabies but it is quite costly.
If you or someone you know is bitten by an animal, a health professional (doctor, nurse practitioner or public health nurse) and CFIA should be contacted immediately. Thoroughly cleansing the wound or bite site immediately after exposure can help prevent the onset of rabies. Shots are given after exposure to the virus can be effective at preventing the disease; however once symptoms of rabies appear there is no cure. You should seek immediate medical attention if you are scratched or have been bitten by an animal or in close contact with a bat.
Vaccination is key!!
