What are the signs of rabies?

Rabies, also known as mad dog disease and hydrophobia, is a pathogen caused by the rabies virus. It often appears in dogs, cats and humans. These three groups are most susceptible to the virus. The incubation period of rabies is different. Generally, when an attack occurs, the symptoms are similar. Before an attack, patients often feel pain in the wound, and local fever and itching symptoms.

Rabies, also known as mad dog disease and hydrophobia.

It is a direct contact infectious disease between humans and all warm-blooded animals (humans, dogs, cats, etc.) caused by the rabies virus. Once a person is bitten by a dog infected with rabies virus, there is a 30-70% chance of infection, and once the disease occurs, the mortality rate is 100%. Therefore, as pets, dogs must pay attention to rabies immunization. The clinical manifestations of dogs suffering from rabies include extreme excitement, mania, drooling and loss of consciousness, and eventually death from systemic paralysis.

Symptoms: The incubation period of this disease varies in length, generally 15 days, and can reach several months or even years in some cases. According to WHO verification, the longest incubation period is 6 years. The length of the incubation period is related to the virulence, concentration, level of immunity, and location of the infection.

The clinical manifestations are divided into two types: one is the violent type, the other is the paralytic type.

Furious type: divided into three stages: prodromal stage, excitement stage and paralysis stage. The prodromal stage is characterized by depression, fear of light and preference for darkness, slow reaction, not listening to the owner's call, unwillingness to contact people, abnormal appetite, a preference for biting and eating foreign objects, difficulty swallowing and extending the neck, increased saliva, weak hind legs, and dilated pupils. This period usually lasts 1-2 days. After the prodromal period, the patient enters the excitement period, which is characterized by violence and restlessness, active attacks on humans and other animals, confusion, and laryngeal muscle paralysis. After the frenzy, depression occurs, and the animal shows signs of fatigue and inactivity. After its strength has recovered a little, it may stand up and go crazy again with the slightest external stimulation, with squinting eyes and biting its limbs and hindquarters. Once the dog walks out of the house, it will not recognize its home, wander around, have a hoarse voice, paralyzed lower jaw, and drool. This type of sick dog is very harmful to humans and other livestock. Once discovered, the relevant departments should be notified immediately and the person should be killed. Paralysis stage: Paralysis symptoms are the main ones, including paralysis of muscles of the whole body, difficulty in standing up, inability to get up from the ground, convulsions, prolapse of the tongue, drooling, and finally paralysis of the respiratory center or failure and death.