Rabies

[Dax]

Where I live (Alberta Canada) there has only been one rabies case (1998) confirmed in dogs. It is very very rare. However, I have heard of pepole getting rabies shots (GlobalPaw).

Does anyone have any experiences they can share on this.

[weimlover0816]

I wouldn't really say that rabies is "common" here, but there are about 5-10 reports of rabid animal sightings every year (mostly raccoons, skunks, etc.) It is true that the only way to actually confirm rabies is to remove the head and have it sent for testing. And, if a person has come in contact with an animal (dog or otherwise) that is suspected to have rabies, the shots are administered immediately as there is little or no lag time from infection to symptoms to death, and waiting for lab results before treatment is a potential death sentence.

There was a story here about a month ago where a man was giving his young son a birthday party and the kids were in the garage, and a fox, acting rather odd, approached with no fear... then I believ it proceeded to go after the son's cousin... the man bodly stepped in between and eventually strangled the fox... not after being exposed (thru bites and even saliva...) to the disease. The man went through a series of painful shots, and the fox did indeed have rabies (testing confirmed that). The worst part is the man had no health insurance and the entire round of shots cost him over $20K dollars... I will try to find some more scientific information on rabies and post later tonight, but what I mentioned above are things I have been taught since very young age... you never can be too careful!!!

[Moo]

Rabies in dogs is not common in Vancouver... although every now and then there are cases of dogs being bitten by skunks and having rabies transmitted.

[weimlover0816]

Introduction

Rabies is a virus that can affect any warm-blooded animal; whenever someone is bitten by an animal, the chance of rabies exists. Although the incidence of rabies in humans is low, more than 30,000 people undergo treatment for possible exposure to rabies in the US.

Rabies primarily attacks the nervous system and causes an encephalitis. The virus is transmitted in saliva from the bite of an infected animal. The incubation period prior to clinical signs is extremely variable, but is usually two-to-eight weeks. The virus will begin shedding in saliva a short time before clinical signs develop, usually less than 10 days.

For both humans and domestic animals, the primary source of rabies is the bite of a rabid wild animal. The most common of these are skunk, raccoon, bat, and fox. Currently, the number of cats infected with rabies has surpassed that of dogs. The main reasons are that there are now more cats than dogs and cats tend to roam more often.

Clinical signs

There are three phases to the course of the disease: prodromal, furious, and paralytic. Death occurs three to-seven days from the onset of signs.

The prodomal stage lasts two-to-three days. The signs can include behavioral changes, fever, slow eye reflexes, and chewing at the bite site.

The furious stage lasts two-to-four days. During this stage, signs of erratic behavior may include irritability, restlessness, barking, aggression, vicious attacks on inanimate objects, and unexplained roaming. Disorientation and seizures may also develop.

The paralytic stage lasts two-to-four days, during which signs of paralysis develop, usually beginning in the limb that was bitten. Paralysis of the throat and face cause a change in the bark, drooling with typical foaming at the mouth, and a dropped jaw. These signs are followed by depression, coma, and death from respiratory paralysis.

Once clinical signs develop, there is no treatment.

Prevention in pets

All dogs and cats should be vaccinated against rabies according to local rules and regulations. Wild animals kept as pets should never be vaccinated, and contact with wild animals should be avoided. The recommendations for a pet bitten by a wild animal or a known rabid animal are as follows:

If the pet has been vaccinated, re-vaccinate and quarantine for 90 days.

If the pet has not been vaccinated, euthanize and submit tissue for rabies testing. If the owner is unwilling to euthanize the pet, it should be strictly quarantined for six months with vaccination one month prior to release.

As strict as this protocol sounds, it is the proper procedure to ensure that no one else is infected with this deadly disease.

Prevention in people

People should also avoid wild animal contact. A skunk, raccoon, or fox walking down the street in broad daylight is not out to play; obviously the animal is sick and rabies should be the first disease on the list of possibilities.

If a person is bitten by an animal that is healthy and properly vaccinated, the animal must be quarantined for 10 days. If the bite is from a wild animal, it should be euthanized and submitted for testing. Unfortunately, the wild animal often escapes and cannot be tested.

If escape occurs, a physician should decide if the victim should undergo post-exposure prophylaxis. Rabies post-exposure vaccines are given on days zero, three, seven, 14, and 28 following the bite.

It is critical to keep pets vaccinated against this disease. Please contact your local veterinarian or health department for vaccine protocols. Some areas require annual vaccination, while others allow a three-year vaccine. Recent outbreaks of rabies in Texas and Florida point to the need for prevention. This is one disease we can and must control.

Editor's note: There is no state law for rabies vaccination in Ohio, but each county health department sets local rules. Some counties require that both cats and dogs be immunized, while others mandate only for dogs. Although cases of rabies are few and far between, the disease is serious enough that immunization is highly recommended.

More information on rabies is available at The Department of Rabies at the Pasteur Institute. Follow the link to the English version, if desired.

James T. Middendorf, DVM

[Dax]

Thanks - good information.

[Dax]

On September 22, 2000, a 9-year-old boy awoke with a fever and complained of pain in his upper left arm. The pain persisted, and he developed insomnia and tremors in his left arm and hand. He was admitted to a local hospital on September 27. That evening, he had mild dysphagia, pruritus of his upper chest and back, and a transient macular rash. On September 28, he developed tremors and myoclonic jerks in both arms, had become agitated, and had hydrophobia, aerophobia, dysarthria, and visual hallucinations. The next day hypersalivation was observed and the tremors and myoclonus had spread to his lower extremities. He became very anxious, indicated that he was suffocating, and underwent endotracheal intubation. A diagnosis of rabies was considered and he was transferred to a children's hospital. Laboratory findings were normal except a mildly elevated cerebral spinal fluid protein. An electroencephalogram indicated no epileptiform activity. Head magnetic resonance imaging was normal. On September 29, the results of the rabies tests were positive, and rabies immune globulin and vaccine were administered to the patient. His neurologic and hemodynamic status deteriorated, and he died on October 6.

A nuchal skin biopsy tested positive by direct fluorescent antibody test. Rabies virus was isolated from the saliva, and saliva, tears, and skin biopsy were positive for rabies by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Molecular analysis of the virus revealed a rabies variant associated with silver-haired (Lasionycteris noctivagans) and eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) bats.

During August, the patient visited a zoo and went to a day camp where he observed bats that had been captive for many years. No history of substantial exposure to bats or other animals occurred in these places. On August 28, while the patient and his brother were sleeping in a rural cottage, his parents found a bat in the kitchen. The same evening, the patient's brother went into the bathroom and observed a bat that seemed to have difficulty flying. He alerted his father who removed it from the cottage with his bare hands. Approximately 3 days later, the patient showed his mother a 0.8-inch (2 cm) erythematous lesion with a small central laceration on his upper left arm. No action was taken. After the diagnosis was made, rabies postexposure prophylaxis was offered to the patient's parents and brother. Prophylaxis also was given to 44 health-care providers because of possible percutaneous or mucous membrane exposure to the patient's saliva and to 12 playmates possibly exposed to the patient's saliva. This human death from rabies was the first one reported in Canada since 1985.

[weimlover0816]

There were 72 confirmed rabies cases in Maine last year (2003), one of them being a dog... most were raccoons and skunks and bats. I think all states have this data available on their official websites... anyone interested should check it out.
Not sure about Canada, sorry Dax

[Dax]

I found Canada's separated by province. Skunks seem to be #1 carriers & bats. Still the number of cases in a country as big as Canada with the amount of wildness we have is minor.

I remember seeing a movie about humans getting rabies as a kid - it was scary stuff.

[Lessica Jake]

If a person is bitten by an animal that is healthy and properly vaccinated, the animal must be quarantined for 10 days.

when i was little (about 8) I caught a mouse, that promptly bit me, and we were only told to keep it 9 days. I think we ended up keeping it for around 13 though before my grandparents took it to the woods & turned it loose.
The poison control center told my parents that if the mouse didnt die within 9 days, it didn't have rabies & it was nothing to worry about.

[BabyElephant]

"There have been no reported cases of rabies in UK wildlife or pet animals and the UK continues to enjoy its rabie-free status" according to our government. That's why we have such strict rules on quarantine and the PETS scheme. Apparently the strain of rabies found in bats cannot be transferred to humans or other animals - BUT they still have recommendations if you come in to contact with a bat etc.

There was a case in France last week where a dog, which subsequently died of rabies, bit 8 people - it was on the news as they were trying to trace all the people who had been bitten. You can get a rabies vaccination in the UK and here's the info about it:

"Is the vaccine safe?
There are two rabies vaccines licensed for use in the UK; Aventis Pasteur, a human
diploid cell vaccine in use for about 20 years, and Rabipur
(http://www.rabies.net/treat/c_4300.cfm), a chick embryo cell vaccine which has been
licensed for use in the UK more recently, though it has been in use in other parts of
the world for some years. Because the Rabipur vaccine is produced in cells from
chick embryos, it should not be used for people who may be sensitive or allergic to
chicken protein. There are few other contraindications, but you should seek advice
from your GP.
The Patient Information Leaflet for the Aventis Pasteur vaccine is attached at the
bottom of this information sheet. The following comments are based on returns sent
to the Health Protection Agency (formerly known as the Public Health Laboratory
2
Service and apply to the Aventis Pasteur vaccine, as this is the vaccine that the
Health Protection Agency currently supplies. However, your GP may administer
Rabipur instead. The two vaccines are interchangeable. .
Over the years there have been no UK reports of adverse systemic (whole body)
reactions to the vaccine. The only adverse reaction that has been seen is a localised
skin rash around the injection site in a small number of people who have had many
booster vaccinations. Although this is not usually serious enough to prevent these
people receiving further boosters, it has caused the Health Protection Agency to
suggest that booster vaccinations should be given at 3-5 year intervals rather than
every two or three years. The interval between boosters is currently under review by
the Department of Health."