Rabies is a deadly viral disease spread through the saliva of infected animals. It is found in different countries around the world, including the United States. It only infects mammal populations — humans included! People and their pets are at risk of contracting rabies from both wild and domestic animals if they are exposed via a bite wound. In rare cases, exposure to infective saliva in an open wound or onto a mucous membrane can also be infectious. Once contracted, rabies is almost always fatal. The good news is that it is preventable when following established rabies vaccine protocols.
What Is Rabies?
Rabies is an aggressive virus that works its way through the body using and debilitating the central nervous system. It is spread primarily through saliva containing infectious virions. It is also present in brain tissue. The virus has a variable incubation period of 1-3 months but can be as little as 10 days or as long as 2 years (Rupprecht). This means that when a patient is exposed, there is a delay before symptoms appear. Once nervous system changes are noted, the prognosis of the affected individual is grave, nearly 100% fatal.
How Do Pets Get Rabies?
Exposure to rabies occurs mainly through contact with infected wildlife. The most common months for exposure include the spring and summer time, but it can happen any time of the year. Rabies can be contracted by getting bitten by an infected animal or having an open wound or mucous membrane exposed to infected saliva (Ohio Department of Health). Household pets may also spread the rabies virus in the same way if not properly vaccinated.
What Animals Commonly Spread Rabies in the United States?
In the United States, rabies in dogs is very well controlled through vaccination programs. The most common animals that now spread rabies are blood-feeding bats (WHO). Other mammals that can transmit rabies include raccoons, skunks, and foxes.
Why Do Indoor Cats Need Rabies Vaccines?
One of the common things we hear from cat owners is that their feline friend doesn’t go outside. This brings us to a common misconception that indoor-only cats don’t need a rabies vaccine. Rabid animals do not exhibit normal behaviors. In fact, rabies doesn’t give infected symptomatic animals conscious intent! The virus alters their brain to cause extreme aggression and loss of fear (CDC). This happens to promote the spread of the virus from host to host so it can survive and thrive. So, an infected animal will do things it normally wouldn’t, like go through a screen door into your home or approach you outside instead of running away. This also means that an infected animal may try to pick a fight with an unsuspecting cat, dog, or even human.
Signs of Rabies in Dogs & Cats
Symptoms of rabies infection align with the impact the virus has on the patient's central nervous system. These may include sudden behavior changes like fearfulness, aggression, self-mutilation, uncoordination, staggering, spasms, tremors, excessive drooling, seizures, and paralysis. According to the AVMA, aggressive behavior is commonly seen in rabies. However, rabid animals may also be uncharacteristically affectionate or active at different times of the day. Because of these symptoms, rabies must always be considered in any pet showcasing unexplained neurological symptoms, especially when not current on rabies vaccination protocols. Remember, rabies is almost always fatal. Immediate intervention after an exposure is key. Once neurologic symptoms appear, nothing can be done.
Why Vaccination Saves Lives
Rabies vaccination is one of the most effective tools we have for protecting pets, people, and communities from this deadly disease. Vaccination programs have dramatically reduced rabies in domestic dogs in the United States, but the virus continues to circulate in wildlife populations. Bats are an important source of rabies exposure across the country, while raccoons, skunks, foxes, and other wildlife may be more significant sources depending on the region.
Rabies vaccination requirements vary by state and local jurisdiction, including which pets must be vaccinated and how frequently boosters are required. Staying current on your pet's rabies vaccine can also affect what happens after a possible exposure. Public health and animal control authorities may have different quarantine, observation, or vaccination requirements depending on whether an exposed pet is currently vaccinated.
Wildlife vaccination programs are another important part of rabies prevention in some areas of the United States. The USDA and its partners use oral rabies vaccination programs in regions where certain wildlife variants of the virus are a concern. Vaccine-containing baits may be distributed by hand, vehicle, helicopter, or aircraft to help reduce rabies transmission among wildlife populations. Pet owners who encounter these baits should generally leave them where they are and follow any instructions provided by local public health or wildlife authorities.
Protecting Pets & People
Rabies is one of the few diseases that is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, yet it is highly preventable through appropriate vaccination and prompt action after an exposure. Keeping your dog's or cat's rabies vaccination current is an important way to protect your pet, your family, and your community.
If you or your pet may have been exposed to rabies, contact your veterinarian and appropriate local public health authorities as soon as possible for guidance. Reporting requirements for animal bites and potential rabies exposures vary by location, and your veterinarian or local health department can explain the steps that apply in your area. Concerns about possible human exposure should be directed to a physician or public health department.
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