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Symptoms and Treatment of Rabies

Rabies

Symptoms and Treatment of Rabies

Though we often become caught up in trying to prevent every new disease or sickness that we may hear about, it is often those that we forget that do the most damage. For instance, definitely one of the most dangerous and often forgotten about diseases is Rabies. Rabies is a sickness that exists around the world, and can be transmitted to any person by any infected animal.

Often we tend to think that rabies can only be transmitted through the bite of an infected animal. However, this is not the case. In fact, rabies can be transmitted through any open wound the animal may have, so even close contact with an animal can result in transmission of the disease. This is one of the reasons that it is important to be so incredibly careful around dead animals, as the disease can be transmitted even after the death of the animal.

However, diagnosing rabies symptoms in human beings can be especially difficult, considering that there are over 60 possible symptoms of the disease. Some of which are as common as a sore throat or headache. However, the most tell tale symptoms, and those which present the most danger are those such as hydrophobia (sudden fear or repulsion of water), convulsions, cardiac or respiratory problems and eventually failure and severe throat pain with difficulty swallowing. Episodes of manic behavior, such as sudden period of anger followed by calm are also possible symptoms of the disease. However, recognizing these symptoms can be very difficult, and, often, by the time the symptoms emerge, it has become too late to treat the disease. This is why early detection and prevention are so important with rabies.

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Perhaps one of the best ways to go about preventing rabies is to watch for the signs of an infected animal. Sudden drastic change in behavior, a different tone in barking with dogs, restlessness, foaming saliva, jaw paralysis, excessive saliva production, and extreme aggressiveness are all telltale symptoms of an animal which may be infected by rabies. However, they are not the only signs, and it is not always the case that these symptoms will be present in an infected animal. One must also be able to watch for false symptoms, a great misconception is that an animal with rabies is always foaming at the mouth or has visible signs, and, in most cases, animals never develop full blown rabies symptoms, making it to hard to tell by physical appearance alone.

Actually, there are a large number of misconceptions about rabies, all of which are dangerous. For instance, many think that only small, nocturnal animals are capable of carrying and transmitting the disease. In reality, though, any mammal, even human beings, can carry and transmit Rabies. Many also tend to think that any animal, which has contracted Rabies, will automatically go crazy, this is actually only true in a small number of cases, and a large portion of infected animals will simply die, without any other warning signs. Another important myth to avoid is that just because you do see an animal (such as a raccoon) out during the daytime that does not necessarily mean it has rabies. However, that also does not mean that it does not, so remember to take extreme caution in all cases of animals on property that are acting in a strange or abnormal way. Also, NEVER attempt to deal with an animal you believe to be infected yourself. Always call your local animal control center to deal with the problem. This is both for your own safety as well as the safety of others. It is important to remember that a cure for rabies only exists up until a certain point. After an animal shows the symptoms of the disease, treatment is no longer affective or possible.

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If you believe that you have become exposed to the disease or bitten by an infected animal, never take chances, even if you the animal that bit you has been vaccinated. Rabies is a fatal disease, and it is not something to take chances with. If a wild animal bit you, it is likely that a doctor will start treatment immediately. Treatment for rabies usually consists of a series of shots, usually given around the site of the bite or in the arm, if the shot is a follow up to the initial treatment. The course is much the same if a pet has been bitten, a vaccine will be administered or a booster shot to the vaccine will be given. Rabies is treatable in both animals and people up until the symptoms appear. Also, it is important to remember that rabies is not transmittable until the final stage.

With that in mind, it is easy to understand the “quarantine period” that will be done if another’s pet bites a person or animal. Usually, if an animal is showing the signs of rabies, it will die within ten days. Thus, if an animal is suspected, it will be closely watched and monitored for up to two weeks after the attack occurred. If the animal is still alive at the end of the two weeks, than more than likely the animal was not in the stage of Rabies were it is possible to transmit.

It should seem clear at this point that Rabies is a hard disease to pin down. It is so incredibly dangerous because it has no symptoms until it becomes too late. This is why early treatment and prevention are best. Always remember to take every animal bite seriously, to report animal activity that is suspicious, and to use extreme caution even around other’s pets. You simply do not know if an animal is carrying rabies, and it is always better to be safe than sorry.