Rabies Symptoms
A Quick Guide to Rabies Symptoms
Rabies symptoms manifest their presence in typical ways, which can be tracked with some accuracy. It is extremely important to isolate and quarantine the animal immediately, if rabies is suspected.
Once the initial infection occurs, the infection grows and spreads in the muscle tissue of the affected animal, and may go undetected for a period of time as short as a few days or as long as a few months.
Rabies symptoms may develop between twenty and sixty days, or as late as 180 days. The disease spreads from the muscle tissue to the spinal cord and brain, and thus the central nervous system, and it is then that you will begin to see the signs associated with rabies.
In the prodromal phase, you will see the first rabies symptoms. This phase occurs for about two or three days, and the symptoms may be subtle at first. They include a change in tone of the bark, if the animal infected is a dog. You may see chewing at the bite site, fever, loss of appetite and, initially subtle changes in behavior. The more drastic behavioral changes do not normally display them selves until later in the progression of the disease.
The second phase of rabies, also called the “furious” phase, or “mad dog syndrome” when dealing with canines, usually lasts from two to four days. In the furious phase, the symptoms include craving to eat anything, even inedible objects, and constant growling and barking (in the case of dogs). Additional symptoms during this phase are dilated pupils, disorientation, erratic behavior and periods of aggression. Also possible are anxious facial expressions, irritability, a lack of fear of dangerous natural enemies, and restlessness and roaming from home. The animal may also display seizures, and lack of muscle coordination.
Overall, animals in the second phase display the “furious” or “mad dog” symptoms that humans most often associate with the disease. It is important to note that not all animals will show symptoms in this second phase – they may progress seemingly directly to the last phase. Rabies also concentrates in the salivary glands, which is why it is normally spread by bites.
Most affected animals also experience serious pain when they try to swallow, even though they may be extremely thirsty. Animals with rabies will often be frightened by the sight of water, which gives the disease its other name, hydrophobia.
The last phase of rabies is also called the paralytic phase. In this phase, you may see that the animal appears to be choking or is unable to swallow. This leads to drooling, and the appearance of foaming saliva that is so often portrayed as “foaming at the mouth”. The animal may also experience paralysis of the throat or jaw, and in dogs, you may see a pronounced dropping of the lower jaw.
This is the last stage of the disease, and the rabies symptoms above are almost always followed by depression, coma and death. Once an animal displays clinical signs, there is no cure.