Rabies is a Dog Disease You Should be Aware Of
Rabies is a disease that is most commonly transmitted through a bite of an infected animal. The virus targets the central nervous system and it eventually works its way up to the brain causing encephalitis, a condition that causes an inflammation in the brain, which will lead to death. It closely mimics other illness, such as fever, headache, and overall body weakness. As the virus gradually progresses, symptoms such as insomnia, Anxiety, confusion, slight paralysis, hallucinations, increase saliva, difficulty swallowing will occur. Death will follow after a couple of days with these Dog Symptoms. The worst thing about rabies is that the virus, in extreme cases, can live in an incubation period from a couple of months to years before any actual symptoms show. Flu-like symptoms normally show anywhere from two to twelve weeks. Once the virus has infected the central nervous system and when later symptoms start to show, such as hallucinations, delirium, paralysis, insomnia, there is literally nothing that can be done, as it is untreatable at this stage. Death by rabies happens within two to ten days after the first sign of symptoms. There are several countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand that have completely eliminated dogs (and other animals) with rabies, however airborne animals such as birds and bats still remain a concern with the transmission of rabies. Dog bites are the cause of about 97% of worldwide rabies. Economically, rabies is one of the main causes for livestock death in certain third world countries.
Any pet that has been attacked by a wild mammal or a bat should take caution as they could be exposed to rabies. It is best that you take your pet to a vet to ensure that they are okay. Dogs and cats that have not been vaccinated as well as attacked should be dealt with extreme care. People traveling with pets to countries that have been rabies free will be required to put their pets in quarantine for six months and then vaccinated one month before being returned to the owner. This is to ensure that they are absolutely free of rabies. Owners who have gotten their pet a certified vaccination from their vet will only have to place them in quarantine for 45 days. The best Dog First Aid for your pet is to ensure that he is indoors at night and prevent him from getting into fights with other wild animals. Vaccinating your pet every year to every year and a half is also recommended. Visit Your Veterinarian and talk to them about how frequently you should vaccinate your animal. Recent studies show that vaccines actually last longer in your pet than previously thought (a year and a half to two years) and that vaccinating your pet every 6 months could actually be hurting him/her in the end. It is estimated that half of all dogs are not vaccinated even though it is required by law in most countries.
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