Rabies is considered one of the core vaccines for most cats and dogs in the US, but many people don’t know much about the disease. In honor of today’s World Rabies Day, we’re sharing some facts about rabies you may not know.
Rabies is a deadly virus
Rabies kills approximately 59,000 humans a year worldwide. Only a few cases are fatal in the US each year.
People can catch rabies from animals
The strong push for rabies vaccination in the United States is because it is a zoonotic disease. That means that it can be transmitted from animals to humans. The disease is found throughout the continental US, but is found most often along the east coast from Florida to Maine and in southern Arizona.
The most common rabies carriers in the US are raccoon, bats, skunks, and foxes, but dogs and cats can also catch the disease. It is important to use caution with unfamiliar animals if you don’t know their health status. Contact with an animal’s saliva (such as through a bite) or brain/nervous system tissue.
Keep in mind that even indoor pets can be exposed to rabies-carrying animals when some of these animals make dens in the basements or attics of our homes.
Rabies has an unpredictable incubation period
While the typical incubation period of rabies is three to eight weeks, it can be as little as eight days or as long as multiple years. The longest incubation time on record for the disease was in a man who was exposed to rabies before emigrating from Brazil and became symptomatic eight years later.
What happens if a dog or cat bites someone
Because of the risk of human infection, if your dog or cat bites someone or is exposed to a rabid animal, you will be expected to show proof of up-to-date vaccination. If you can’t show proof of vaccination, your choices are:
- Have your pet euthanized
- Pay for medical quarantine of your pet for six months
A recent study showed that it may be possible to give pets with out-of-date rabies vaccination status an additional vaccination after exposure. At this time, local laws have not changed based on this new research.
Rabies can’t be diagnosed in live animals
Rabies is diagnosed through the direct fluorescent antibody test. This test involves putting a fluorescent anti-rabies antibody on brain tissue to see if it binds to infected tissue. Since the test requires brain tissue, there is no accurate test for rabies in live animals.
Symptoms of rabies
In cats, rabies symptoms start with changes in behavior including aggression, restlessness, and lethargy. Symptoms progress to increased vocalization, loss of appetite, weakness, disorientation, paralysis, and even sudden death.
References and further reading:
American Humane Association, Rabies Facts & Prevention Tips
ASPCA, Rabies
Center for Disease Control, Rabies
Global Alliance for Rabies Control, Rabies Facts
Annals of Neurology, Phylogenetic and epidemiologic evidence of multiyear incubation in human rabies
Journal of the American Veterinary Association, Comparison of anamnestic responses to rabies vaccination in dogs and cats with current and out-of-date vaccination status
Photo credit:
depositphotos/Wavebreakmedia
Thats ONE reason why we really only go outside when TBT is with us. And have the big fence. And TBT walks around the backyard where we can go.
Rabies is scary!
Great info!
The Florida Furkids
We didn’t know all of this about rabies. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the information…I didn’t know much of this. So scary.
Thanks for great info. Mom says she had no idea rabies was more prevalent along the east coast. Of course, we are always up to date on our vaccinations. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
Thank you for making people aware of these facts. It is so important for pet owners to keep their dog’s and cat’s rabies vaccines up-to-date.
That is such a scary thing and we always worry about of ferals.
Great info! I find myself sharing many of these posts. The peeps used to get my vaccinated just cos I bit them and they wanted the proof. I’ve had such bad reactions to the shot that it’s not safe to vaccinate me any longer.
That is very scary information but good to know.
guys…manee thanx for sharin…..eye wish they wood come up with sum kinda diffrunrt
vacceen tho, eye got crazed bad side effects for bout two weeks frum my shot…:(
tuna of moon ~~~~
♥♥♥
Great information ! Purrs
Gweat posty, but as yous sed it’s ontact wiff da saliva and dat includes sumfin’ as benign as a lick. Peeps fink da only way is fwu bites. As a whole, peeps be weally misinfurmed ’bout rabies fanks to shows like Cujo.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Lexi
We all have to be vaccinated against rabies in order to get our licenses.
Well, not my mom. She has a different kind of license.
All true – and I read recently that cats are the #1 *domestic* carrier. Wonder what exactly that means, though? Have you heard about a promising rabies test they conducted in January?
someone really needs to get on discovering a new way to test for rabies.. Some high school student somewhere.. they are always coming up with amazing things..
I just wish they would the information about rabies that is out there was more than what we learned in the 50s (okay fine I made that up, but it does feel horribly outdated)