Rabies in Animals 🐶🧠

By Dr Duncan Houston, BVSc

Rabies is one of the most feared diseases in medicine. Despite vaccines being widely available, rabies remains 100% fatal once symptoms begin. In 2025, we still have no reliable cure. This guide covers how rabies is spread, what symptoms to watch for, what to do if your pet is bitten, and why vaccination is the best defense—for both animals and humans. ⚠️

🦠 What Is Rabies?

Rabies is a viral disease affecting the central nervous system of mammals. It spreads via saliva—typically through a bite from an infected animal. Once symptoms appear, the disease progresses rapidly and almost always results in death. 🧬

Rabies Quick Facts:

• 🧪 Virus doesn’t live long outside the host—transmission requires fresh saliva
• 🐕 Dog and cat vaccination required by law in most U.S. regions
• 🦇 Wildlife are the main reservoirs: skunks, bats, raccoons, foxes, coyotes

😱 How Rabies Progresses

Once bitten, the virus sits in muscle cells for a few days, then enters the nerves and slowly travels to the brain. This process can take weeks to months. Once it reaches the brain and salivary glands, symptoms begin—and death is usually within 10 days. 🧠

Incubation periods:

• 🐶 Dogs: 21–80 days
• 🐱 Cats: 28–42 days
• 🦡 Can be up to 1 year in some wildlife species

🧾 Stages of Rabies in Animals

1. Prodromal Stage (2–3 days)

• ⚠️ Behavior change (shyness or aggression)
• 😶 Voice changes
• 😾 Licking or scratching at bite site

2. Excitative (Furious) Stage (1–2 days)

• 🌪️ Hallucinations, aggression, and no fear
• 🚪 Cage biting or attacking objects

3. Paralytic Stage (2–4 days)

• 🧠 Paralysis sets in
• 💧 Drooling, foaming from larynx paralysis
• ☠️ Respiratory muscles fail—death follows

This is the most contagious stage, and when most humans are exposed. 😷

🧪 Can You Test for Rabies in a Live Animal?

No. There is no rabies test for live animals. Diagnosis is confirmed post-mortem by brain tissue analysis. If a living animal bites a human, it must be quarantined for 10 days. If it’s still alive after 10 days, it could not have transmitted rabies. 🧫

💉 Rabies Vaccine for Pets

• 📆 First shot at 12–16 weeks old
• 📅 Booster 1 year later, then every 3 years
• 🧬 Killed-virus and recombinant vaccines are both available

Recombinant vaccines avoid rare injection-site tumors in cats. Ask your vet about your region’s vaccine schedule. 💉

🛡️ If Your Pet Is Bitten by Wildlife

• 💉 If vaccinated: booster immediately + observation as per local law
• ⚠️ If unvaccinated: Texas Protocol suggests vaccination + 90-day isolation + boosters at 3 and 8 weeks post-bite

👨‍⚕️ Human Exposure: What To Do

• 🚿 Wash bite wound immediately with soap and water
• 📞 Contact health department
• 💉 Begin post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if animal is untested or unavailable
• 🧫 If animal is dead, its brain will be tested for rabies

PEP must begin during the incubation period—it does not work once symptoms start. 💀

📜 Legal Requirements

All bites that break the skin must be reported. Quarantine laws vary:

• 🛑 10-day quarantine is mandatory for biting dogs, cats, or ferrets
• 🩺 Unvaccinated pets may be euthanized and tested
• ⚖️ Check your county or state animal control for exact laws

✈️ Traveling with Pets

Countries like Japan, New Zealand, and the UK require:

• 📌 Microchip ID
• 💉 Rabies vaccine certificate
• 🧪 Rabies titer test from approved lab

Plan months ahead to avoid quarantine. Visit the USDA site or your destination’s consulate. 🌍

📱 Ask A Vet App Support

If your pet has been exposed—or you’ve been bitten—use the Ask A Vet app for immediate help:

• 🧾 Understand bite quarantine rules in your state
• 💬 Ask about booster timing and isolation
• 📋 Report bite incidents to your local vet or health department
• 📱 Access vaccination reminders and travel forms

🏁 Final Takeaway

Rabies is fatal, fast, and unforgiving—but it’s 100% preventable. Protect your pets, avoid wildlife contact, and act quickly if exposure happens. Stay informed and stay safe. 🐕🧬🧠