Among all the dog diseases out there rabies is considered one of the most dangerous dog diseases to affect any dog. Almost everyone who knows dogs knows that rabies is dog disease that one should be afraid of. Rabies is the most deadly disease to affect dogs all over the world. This disease is usually found in wild animals but also affects domestic dogs and cats. A pet owner should be aware of this disease and how to deal with it just in case your pet is affected by rabies. Rabies is a viral disease that starts by damaging the central nervous system of the dog, it is an incurable disease and there is no treatment available for a dog affected by rabies. Rabies is generally caused when a deadly virus is transferred through the saliva of an infected animal to the healthy animal. The virus travels through the nerves in the healthy animal and goes to the spinal cord; from there it enters the brain of the animal. The incubation period for rabies is usually between two and eight weeks but varies from animal to animal.
Another drawback of this dangerous disease is that it can also be transmitted from an infected animal to a human; it is very important that you know the symptoms of this disease to be able to keep your self and other healthy pets safe and away from an infected animal. The rabies disease has three stages, a dog might go through any of the stages or all three stages, and you should be prepared that once a dog is infected with rabies death is certain.
Different stages of the Rabies Disease:
In the prodromal phase of this disease the dog will show nervousness and anxiety. An otherwise active and playful dog will become shy and avoid contact with other animals or human beings. Also aggressive dogs can become docile. Most dogs contract fever in this stage of rabies. Another sign of rabies is that the infected dog might lick the area where it has been bitten. This phase lasts for about 2-3 days.
Furious phase comes after the prodromal phase in dogs with rabies. In this phase dogs show erratic behavior, they become restless and aggressive and show an urge to eat, they eat even non edible things. The dogs roam about and pace in the furious stage and if they are caged they are known to bite and attack the enclosure. An affected dog in this phase will be disoriented and might suffer from seizures; some dogs with rabies will die in this phase while some will go on to the next phase. Furious phase in an infected dog lasts between 1-7 days.
Paralytic phase is the last phase of the disease in a dog if they have not already expired in the first two phases. In this phase the nerves in the head and throat of the dog are severely affected; the dog starts drooling and in unable to swallow. Dogs in this stage will avoid fluids. The lower jaw of an affected dog will hang since the muscles have started to becoming paralyzed. As the symptoms progress the dog suffers from respiratory problems and will eventually die.
There is no cure or treatment for the disease so the best option for dog owners is to take preventive measure, A dog should be vaccinated against this deadly disease and should be kept away from stay dogs and other animals that might be infected.
Here is a list of all the Dog Diseases featured on the Dog Disease Site
