Animals can make cute pets and great companions; however, as cute and adorable as they usually are, there are times when they can pose serious risks to you and your loved ones.
One of those risks is rabies.
Cases of rabies infection are typically more prevalent during summer months when animals and humans are more likely to have close encounters because of increased outdoor activities, and while this shouldn’t stop you and your family from having fun, knowing what rabies is and how to deal with it can make a lot of difference.
What is rabies?
Rabies is a dangerous disease that attacks the nervous system. If not treated properly immediately, it may cause extensive brain damage or even death. Viral in nature, it can be transmitted from one carrier to another.
How is rabies transmitted?
The rabies virus is usually found in the saliva of infected animals and can be transmitted either from being bitten by the carrier or from having a fresh wound exposed to their saliva. In some rare cases, people have been recorded to have contracted rabies after inhaling the air inside caves that are home to bats infected with the virus. A handful of cases where patients who received organ donations from people who were infected with rabies have also been recorded.
Picture of a dog baring its fangs. Photo by chefjancris
Which animals typically carry rabies?
Practically all mammals are potential carriers of the rabies virus including but not limited to:
- cats
- bats
- monkeys
- rats
- cows
- carabaos
- horses
- pigs
- goats
- rabbits
- ferrets
However, among the common carriers of the rabies virus, the type of rabies carried by dogs is usually considered to be one of the strongest, if not the strongest itself.
How can you avoid becoming infected with rabies?
Picture of a dog getting a rabies vaccine Photo by Håkan Dahlström
Preventive vaccination – Getting yourself or the animals around you vaccinated can help prevent fatal rabies infection. This, however, may only be enough to slow the spread of the virus should you become infected. It does not guarantee complete immunity, so a booster shot after having contact with an animal suspected of being infected with rabies is still required.
Avoiding contact with wild animals – While practically all mammals can become carriers of the virus, wild animals are more prone to being infected with the rabies virus compared to domesticated animals, so unnecessary contact with them, especially those that you are not familiar with, is strongly discouraged. Avoid taking gentleness as a sign of non-infection as there have been noted cases where some animals infected with the virus displayed unusual tameness.
Post-exposure vaccination – As stated above, a pre-exposure rabies vaccine does not guarantee complete immunity, so anyone who has come into contact with animals suspected of carrying the virus should seek immediate treatment. Also, there is a very small percentage of rabid animals that do not exhibit the usual symptoms associated with rabies, so it’s best to consult a medical professional regardless of whether the animal appears to be sick or not so precautionary measures can be taken.
What happens if you came into contact with a rabid animal?
People who came into contact with rabid animals may not immediately show signs of infection. Depending on where the person was bitten (or where the wound that got exposed to a rabid animal’s saliva was), how strong the particular type of rabies carried by the rabid animal was, and how strong the person’s immune system was; symptoms may take anywhere from several days to several years to appear (The shortest time it took for symptoms to show was four days, but, in one case, symptoms didn’t start showing until 25 years later).
How serious is a rabies infection?
Rabies, when not treated properly and immediately, can be fatal. Thousands of people get infected with rabies each year, and among those that were infected, less than ten people were reported to have survived without receiving rabies vaccine after coming into contact with a rabid animal.
How would you know if an animal or a person is infected with rabies?
Depending on how far along the infection has progressed, an animal or person infected with rabies may display some or all of the following symptoms:
Animals
- biting without any provocation
- eating items it wouldn’t usually eat, especially things that are inedible
- running towards no particular direction
- growling
- inability to make a sound
- foaming at the mouth
People
- uncharacteristic aggressiveness
- seizures
- dilated pupils
- extreme sensitivity to light
- extreme sensitivity to temperatures
- extreme sensitivity to sound
- difficulty drinking water
- extreme fear of water
- insomnia
- partial or complete paralysis
- hallucinations
- increase in saliva production
What should you do if you came into contact with an animal suspected of carrying rabies?
For animals
- Do not kill the animal suspected of carrying the virus immediately. Instead, secure the animal and place it under supervision for 14 days and look for signs of infections like the ones detailed above.
- If the animal died while being observed, bring its head to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Alabang, Muntinlupa City so it can be examined for rabies. Make sure you place it in a sealed container filled with ice.
- If you’re worried that an animal may be infected with rabies, but it has not manifested any symptoms yet, it would be best if you’ll take it to a vet for further check up.
For people
- Wash the wound with soap and water immediately to flush out as much of the rabies virus (if there is any) as possible. After washing the wound, apply alcohol or povidone iodine on the wound.
- Head to the nearest Animal Bite Treatment Center immediately and get yourself vaccinated. Your doctor will tell you how many shots you need depending on the specifics of your case.
- As much as possible, avoid stitching the wound until you have had your post-exposure vaccine. Stitching the wound might only help spread the virus faster.
- Make sure you follow the diet recommended by your doctor.
- Inform your doctor if you start feeling extremely itchy, start having rashes or red spots on the site where you were vaccinated, or start having breathing difficulties.
- Make sure you come back for your scheduled shots and that you complete the prescribed treatment unless otherwise discouraged by your doctor.
We hope those tips help!
Should you need further information, you can visit the links below for some additional reading or you can also call the nearest Animal Bite Treatment Center or the City / Municipal Health Office for expert advice.
Stay safe!
References:
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/181980.php
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/168997.php
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies_transmission
- http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/181980.php
- http://freedom.bsd100.org/www/ud00/8/8718c6d790e344edbc740bc018a52ea9/Personal_Documents/Danger!%20Rabid%20Animals!.pdf
- http://www2.keelpno.gr/blog/?p=4092&lang=en
- http://www.who.int/rabies/resources/SEA_CD_278_FAQs_Rabies.pdf
Retrieved March 31, 2015
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