The archetypal zoonotic disease, rabies can spread between animals and humans as it has the ability to infect — and kill — all mammals.

When my father was a boy, in the 1930s, living in Clinton, Massachusetts, he was attacked and bitten by a dog in the woods near his home. The animal was never found and, rabies being so prevalent among feral dogs at the time, he was forced to undergo preventive treatment for the disease. in the late 19th century, Louis Pasteur devised a strategy to immunize against rabies by progressively attenuating a virus by successive passage through rabbit spinal cords. The “Pasteur Treatment” involved injections of up to 25 doses of this crudely purified vaccine, three on the first day and then one per day over the next three weeks into the abdominal wall. The idea is to develop immunity — antibodies to the virus — before the virus has a chance to invade the central nervous system. Throughout his life, my father recalled the horror of the treatment — even more than that of the dog bite.

Painful as it was, the treatment may well have saved him from the gruesome fate of rabies. we learned last week that a man in Massachusetts had been diagnosed with rabies. Believed to be the first case acquired in the state since 1935, the man is in critical condition, indicating that he is already manifesting the disease. Sadly, at this stage, rabies most often leads inexorably to death.

It is bats that have become the problem for humans in the U.S., accounting for more than two-thirds of rabies cases.

The disease has become rare in this country, with no more than a handful of cases occurring throughout the U.S. in a given year. (Worldwide, however, rabies is common. Estimates put the number of cases between 55,000 and 70,000, nearly all from the bites of rabid dogs.) Rabies can begin insidiously, anywhere from a week to many months after the bite of a rabid animal. Agitation, fever, restlessness, irritability, and increased sensation at the site of the bite may be the initial symptoms. Delirium often ensues. Classic hydrophobia, when it develops, is startling. Initially manifest as the inability to swallow liquids, it progresses to the point that merely the sight of liquid can cause gagging and laryngeal spasm. This finding is so classically associated with rabies, in animals as well as people, that hydrophobia and rabies were once synonymous.

Wild swings in pulse and blood pressure follow (as the autonomic nervous system becomes affected), waning of consciousness, and finally seizures and respiratory arrest, with most affected dying within a week of contracting the illness. Historically, survival from rabies infection has been extremely rare. A recent approach pioneered in Wisconsin in 2004 appears to have led to a handful of survivors, but the prognosis remains grim.

Rabies is perhaps the archetypal zoonotic disease, one spread between animals and humans. It has an extremely broad host range, with the ability to infect all mammals. The ancients understood that when a mad dog bit another dog, it too became mad. Canine rabies remains a huge problem around the world, but in the U.S., where vaccination of dogs against rabies has become nearly universal, other species have become more important in spreading rabies. Skunks, foxes, and raccoons are all important to the rabies problem in various parts of the U.S.

While rabies is transmissible between any species, most transmission occurs within the species — bat to bat, raccoon to raccoon — and the virus adapts slightly to its host. that means each virus carries a signature in its genetic sequence indicating the species and geographic location of the “donor.” in one recent case, we were surprised to learn that a patient had died of infection by a rabies virus whose genetic signature indicated that it originated in a South American dog, though he was reported not to have been in that region for many years. It remains mysterious whether we were missing some history of a more-recent visit there, or the incubation period was unusually long.

But it is bats that have become the problem for humans in the U.S., accounting for more than two-thirds of rabies cases. that doesn’t mean they should be eradicated, of course: Bats are too important to the ecosystem to think of as disease-spreading pests. their insectivorous diet makes them vital to reducing the burden of disease-transmitting mosquitoes. Nonetheless, keeping bats out of our homes, particularly our sleeping quarters, is a key public health measure in reducing human rabies. Bats have small, very sharp teeth and a sleeping victim may simply be unaware that a bite has occurred. for that reason, we counsel people to get prophylaxis if they wake up in a room where a bat is found, whether or not they are aware of a bite.

With a disease so horrible, and treatment problematic, prevention is the mainstay of public health. more effective and tolerable post-exposure prophylaxis also began to appear in the past few decades. now, instead of the 25 abdominal shots my father endured, we offer a single dose of antiserum (infused around the wound or given intramuscularly) and four doses of a much safer rabies vaccine given over a two-week period. This is almost completely successful in preventing the disease when given within a reasonable time after exposure. (With domestic animals, we can even observe the biting animal for signs of rabies; if none manifest within ten days, the animal is deemed free of the disease and prophylaxis can be avoided.) there are problems with this approach, however: it is very expensive, and in many parts of the world, where rabies is prevalent, it is simply not available. The fact of so few cases here, and the easy availability of prophylaxis, means we are lucky. while working on better treatments, we should work on ways of vaccinating dogs and lowering the cost of prevention in the rest of the world.

Image: Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters.

There is a really cute stray near my home.but lately he is acting weird.Is it because he is infected?Is it safe to go near him?

Symptoms listed here:animalhealthchannel.com/rabie…

Also, call local animal control for help as well as information on rabies in your area.

Without knowing what you mean by "acting weird", that's the best info I can give you.

restlessness, antisocial behaviour, sensitive to light and touch, irritability, fever, difficulty in breathing and swallowing.

The symptom's of a rabies dog is the dog is going crazy and foaming out the mouth and attacking people or other animals.

Dogs with rabies act weirdly……..also…..they are hydrophobic…..they don't even drink water

Does it take 5 min 1 hour 5 days?

You usually die within a year and may show no symptoms for a long time. this is why dog bite victims get tested for rabies and the dog that bit you gets tested as well.

fever..he has bite and it has red around it..when I touched it he moans…he's always at bed..he only meows when I touch his wound….T^T..I'm hoping it's not tetanus or rabies or anything because we don't have the money to take him to a vet….T^T..I'm just so worried..I thinking it's rabies T^T T^T

how long does rabies appear? bacause i bit by my puppy now my wound is healed but i have no symptoms like itching numb also infection on it does it have rabies?

if your dog doesnt become sick and die with in 3 weeks you should be fine, if it gets sick you need to go get the post exposure treatment, if you do have to see a doctor about it make sure you are given the rabies immunoglobin and the vaccine, but make sure they dont put any of the shots in the gluteal reagion(butt),
if the dog was rabid and at an infectious stage when it bit you and it dies with in 3 weeks, the disease has a 5-80% chance of becoming an infection(reproducing in your body) it depends on the site of the bite, what stage the animal was in when it bit you and the severity of the bite. Syptoms then can appear anytime between 4 days to a year after the time of the bite, most people with dog bites got infected with in 6 months the average is 2-3 months, then the victim will feel ill, get pain/numbness,along with tingling/itch stating at the bite site and continuing upwards and it may lead to paralysis. Dog bites are normally atributed with classical "furious" type rabies that involves hydrophobia(50% of victims), aerophobia,seizures,and halicuicnations. some victims of bat bites and in rare cases of dog bites have a slowly developing paralysis usually starting at the site of the bite and the legs. a victim after the symptoms appear would die in 2-17(average is 4-9 days in classic rabies(dog bites,cat or bat) but paralytic rabies(bat bites,organ transplant from infected person) victims usually die with in 2 weeks, but from what i read 17 days is the absolute longest a person can survive if not of life support but there's never been a documented case in the united states in the last 30 years of someone living 17 days with out ventelator support)….watch your dog carefully but there's no need to worry as long as your dog stays in good health for the next 3 weeks, the vaccine is expensive in the US i had it with all 5 doses, cost around $2,000 usd

If you live in America it is highly unlikely that you got rabies from a dog (bats, skunks and raccoons are another story). If you are worried check with your Dr.

I do have to ask why on God's green earth would you bite your dog?!? You are lucky that the dog didn't bite you back.

my cat was let outside for a few hours. when suddenly we heard a cat cry and we ran outside to help him. We found him in the bushes hissing at something, we couldn't see what, but he let us pick him up and take him back inside. when he came in, he continued to act strange. (breathing hard, but laying down, he is eating but did not want to drink water, could he have rabies? or is it too soon to tell?

Too soon to tell.

The incubation period (the time it takes for symptoms to show) can be a few days to several years. it normally takes a few months though. I suggest calling your vet anyways in case she has been injured. her behavior may be strange because she was so scared.

acting odd–cant see well-foam at the mouth-not happy——-ask a vet on the phone—-a.s.a.p

The symptoms of rabies take a long time, sometimes years, to start showing. And unless he was bitten by a rabid animal, then he didn't contract rabies. you should take him to the vet and have him vaccinated against rabies. then you won't have to worry about it. Rabies is a very serious and usually fatal, but preventable, illness. Rabies is less of a threat then it used to be, but it still does occur.

Its not rabies, that takes months. he probably had a fight with another cat, but could have been attacked by a dog or coyote or been bitten by a snake or spider or bug. he could have been hit by a car, too, or have an illness. If he is still breathing hard or his gums are pale, he needs to go to the emergency clinic NOW. If he is breathing ok and his gums aren' pale, take him to your regular vet tomorrow and have him checked out.

Pets with Rabies can take weeks to months to show signs. your cat probably got spooked, or chased by something which got him very scared! In the future, for public safety and for your cats safety, try to keep him inside or at least make sure he is always up to date on vaccines, especially Rabies! Animal Control will never hesitate to seize a pet not up to date on Rabies vaccines if they ever receive a bite wound of unknown origin, or bite another animal or person.

My neighbor has a cat that is foaming at the mouth but does not act sick at all. the only problem she has is the foam from the mouth.

My cat does this when he is really excited or when he feels really loved. If it is really foamy foam then I do not know but if it is more like bubbly saliva then go with your instinct about the cat. Cats hide pain and discomfort fairly well when they want to. Make sure he/she is drinking plenty of water. As far as rabies is concerned the cat would be extremely irritable and angry or moody not just foaming at the mouth. Also, yes rabies is highly contagious and even you can get it if he/she has rabies.

Cats will froth and foam when they have tasted something awful. Either she bit into something, licked something…. who knows what…that didn't taste good. Certain topical flea meds will cause this if she is able to groom the area where it was applied. Pilling a cat can certainly cause this.
Worst case scenario would be rabies – which is rare, but I guess still plausible. another not so great scenario would be a poisoning.

Yes this is the symptoms of rabies. asked him to meet his vet. And that can be catch by other animals also. It's a virus. Visit on agritura.com for various cat products.

My cat got absolutely terrified one time and started to foam at the mouth. As soon as the stimulus went away, she stopped foaming. she also kind of drools/foams when she is really happy and purring.

If they eat something that taste bad they will foam at the mouth. My cat did that when I put his flea medicine and it leaked where he could lick it. he did not like the taste at all.

rabies. Tell your neighbor to take her to the vet ASAP!!! Poor kitty.

rabies or the cat is very dehydrated

Kind of late, now, but maybe antifreeze?

i absalutly posatutly casapuly assure you that its rabies

SAN BENITO — a three-inch long brown bat found at San Benito High School on Thursday tested positive for rabies, becoming the first such case in 20 years at the San Benito Animal Hospital, veterinarian Dr. Allison Tewell-Merritt said.

The San Benito school superintendent Antonio Limon said the bat was found Thursday on a wall outside the gym. the city’s animal control was called to catch the creature.

“no student ever touched the bat, and students were warned via the PA system and posters throughout the school not to come in contact with any bat,” Limon said. a second bat was also found, but tested negative for rabies, Limon said.

“Alert school personnel immediately notified the school’s dispatch office and contacted animal control to make arrangements to have it properly disposed of,” San Benito High School Principal Delia Weaver said in a press release. “All personnel are taking extra precautionary measures and being extra vigilant with our school facility and its surroundings.”

Tewell-Merritt said animal control euthanized the bat and brought it to the animal hospital, which then sent it to Austin to be tested for rabies. That test was positive.

“This is very rare; this is a big deal,” Tewell-Merritt said. “we don’t have many animals that test positive at all for rabies.

“This is deadly to humans. only one human in history that has been symptomatic with rabies has lived.”

Tewell-Merritt went on to explain that skunks, raccoons, bats, and foxes carry rabies. if one of those animals bites a dog or a cat, and that animal bites a human, if that human does not seek medical treatment, they will die.

It takes about one month after a human is bitten for that person to start showing symptoms, Tewell-Merritt said.

The way to find out if a dog or cat has rabies is to either euthanize the animal and have it tested, or quarantine the animal for 10 days to see if symptoms appear, Tewell-Merritt said.

“if anyone is ever bitten by an animal and they are unsure of its rabies status, they should contact their local physician,” Tewell-Merritt said.

San Benito passed an ordinance that requires dogs and cats to receive rabies vaccinations every year, Tewell-Merritt said. Rabies testing requirements vary by city and county, and can range from one to a three-year vaccination requirement.

Rabies in cats – the signs and symptoms; scratches, bites and vaccination and what to do if you think your cat has rabies.What is rabies?Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals that (most importantly for us here) includes humans and cats.

The virus causes inflammation in the brain, paralysis and death, and is generally transmitted through the bites of infected animals.

It is found in land animals in most countries of the world. in North America the disease is most often spread by coyotes, raccoons and skunks; in Europe it’s generally spread by foxes.

It is not present in land animals in the United Kingdom and some parts of Scandinavia, nor in Australia, new Zealand or Japan. very occasional cases have come about in these countries through infection by bats.

In humans the disease is generally fatal if not treated before the onset of any symptoms, so if contact with a rabid animal is suspected it’s essential to get treatment immediately.

Early signs of the disease include weakness, fever and headache, which can later develop into sleeplessness, stress, difficulty swallowing, paralysis, and most tellingly, an increase in saliva production (which is what causes dogs with the disease to drool uncontrollably, although this does not generally happen in humans or cats) and a morbid fear of water.

In un-vaccinated animals, there is no cure.How does rabies infect cats?The virus lives in the saliva of infected animals, and although the virus isn’t able to get through unbroken skin, it can enter the body through open wounds or scratches, as well as through the mucous membranes, like those in the eyes or mouth.

So licks, and more particularly, bites from infected animals can spread rabies in cats.Transmission of rabies: how does it spread?The virus gets in to the nervous system through a nerve ending in the skin. It then travels up the nerve to the spinal cord, travelling up the spinal cord until it enters the brain.

From the brain, the rabies virus travels through the nerves leading to the salivary glands and into the saliva, from where it can be spread through a bite to another infected animal.

Until the virus reaches the brain a cat will show no symptoms of the disease. Does my cat have rabies? Cat rabies symptomsThe period of incubation for rabies in cats can be anywhere from ten days to around fifty days (on average, around eighteen days) before the cat shows any signs of infection.

Spotting rabies in cats you suspect may be infected can be difficult in the very early stages, and unfortunately once the more obvious symptoms appear it may already be too late to do anything about it.

The first thing you’ll notice in a cat with rabies is a change in behavior. Some cats become more aggressive, others become more friendly than usual. There’s a tendency at this stage for cats to hide away in dark corners.

This period is generally quite short, lasting only one or sometimes two days. After this, cats will become very aggressive and bite and scratch without warning. Their throat muscles will become paralysed, and they will have difficulty eating and drinking.

This stage (which lasts on average two to four days) is then followed by a day or two when cats will have convulsions and paralysis, followed by coma and eventually death.What to do if you suspect you (or your cats) have been bitten by an animal with rabies

Swab the bite area immediately with disinfectant and rinse with lots of water.

It is then URGENT that you seek medical help for yourself, and veterinary attention for your pet.

A vaccination program is available for humans bitten by rabid animals during the early stages of the disease. unfortunately for our poor cats, however, once the symptoms of rabies in cats become apparent, the disease is always fatal.

A cat with suspected rabies will be quarantined for observation.Cat rabies shotsIn the UK, cats are not vaccinated against rabies unless they are being taken out of the country.

In the USA, rabies vaccinations are mandatory in most States and are generally given to kittens between eight and twelve weeks old, with a follow-up booster a year later and on-going regular vaccination every two or three years after that, depending on local legislation.For more cat health information see:

• Diarrhea in kittens
• Cat hairballs

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like if something bit them in the leg that had rabies, how long would it take for them to show symptoms?

In humans, the incubation period for rabies is 10 days to ~1 year, with an average of 30-50 days

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