Rabies is a 100% vaccine-preventable disease

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals, including humans. The rabies virus spreads from one animal to another through its saliva, usually through a bite wound.

Once the virus enters the body, it travels to the brain, where it causes inflammation and damage to the nervous system. The symptoms of rabies can take weeks or months to appear, and the disease is usually fatal.

Dogs are one of the primary sources of rabies transmission to humans, and the disease is responsible for the deaths of thousands of dogs each year.

In dogs, the symptoms of rabies can vary depending on the stage of the disease. The initial symptoms may include fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. As the disease progresses, dogs may show aggression, restlessness, and vocalization. They may also experience seizures, paralysis, and difficulty swallowing.

There are two recognized types of Rabies; Furious Rabies and Dumb or Paralytic Rabies.

Furious Rabies: Dogs become aggressive and occasionally delusional. They may start to hallucinate and develop a voracious appetite, where they start eating non food items like stone and mud. This is usually followed by seizures and finally death.

Dumb or Paralytic Rabies: In this the dog starts salivating and starts to develop paralysis of different muscular system. The face may get distorted and swallowing becomes difficult. This leads to hypersalivation and foaming at the mouth. They appear to have something stuck in their mouth or throat. Eventually the dog lapses into a coma and death occurs after paralysis.

Dogs can be protected from rabies by being vaccinated, which is the best method of prevention. The other way to prevent this is to take your dog to the veterinarian immediately if an unknown animal bites or scratches it.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that all dogs be vaccinated against rabies as a means of controlling the spread of the disease. Rabies vaccination is also important for protecting the health and well-being of individual dogs.

Here are some general guidelines regarding the schedule for vaccinating dogs against rabies:

1. Puppies should receive their first rabies vaccine at 12 weeks of age.
2. Dogs should receive a booster vaccine one year after the initial vaccination.
3. Booster shots should be given annually after that, depending on the type of vaccine and the rules in the area.

Rabies shots are very important to protect dogs from the disease and stop it from spreading to people. If you don’t know the recommended vaccination schedule, you should talk to a vet or the local animal health department.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the following rabies vaccination schedule for humans:

1. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): This is a series of three doses of the rabies vaccine given over 28 days. PrEP is recommended for people who are at increased risk of exposure to rabies, such as veterinarians, animal handlers, and travellers to areas where rabies is endemic.
2. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP): This is a series of four doses of the rabies vaccine given over 14 days after exposure to the virus. People who have been bitten, scratched, or come into contact with the saliva of an animal thought to have rabies should get PEP.

In addition to the vaccine, rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), which protects right away against the virus, may be part of the treatment. RIG is usually given on the day of the first vaccine dose.

It’s important to remember that rabies is a disease that can kill and that early diagnosis and treatment are key to stopping it from spreading. If you think your dog may have been exposed to rabies, you should take him to the vet right away.