Rabies is a very dangerous viral zoonotic disease and a dog or cat can get rabies when they are bitten by another animal that is a carrier of the virus. The reason that rabies is such a serious health risk is because the virus attacks the central nervous system and can cause infected animals to develop encephalitis, a potentially fatal inflammatory brain condition. It is also possible for a cat or dog to get rabies if they lick the broken skin or mucus membranes of infected animals, but this is an uncommon means of the virus being transferred.

Rabies Symptoms in Dogs

It is important for dog owners to understand that once an animal has the rabies virus (Rhabdoviridae virus) it is common for there to be no identifiable rabies symptoms at all while the infection is the incubation stage. Which usually lasts between 2 and 3 months. The virus will then move into the prodrome stage, and this is when rabies symptoms in dogs will start to appear.

They can include:

   
• A fever that can go above 100 degrees F
   
• Headache
   
• Anxiety
   
• Sore throat
   
• Cough
   
• Nausea
   
• Vomiting
   
• Discomfort at bite site
 

Symptoms during the next stage – the rabies acute neurologic period – are going to be much more serious and if treatment has not begun before the dog moves into the neurologic stage of rabies it is usually fatal. Among these end-stage rabies symptoms are paralysis, involuntary muscle twitching, convulsions, hyperventilation, hypersalivation, and rigid neck muscles.

Rabies Symptoms in Cats

The experience that a cat will have if it gets rabies is going to be identical to the one for dogs detailed above. Cats will contract rabies the same way and for some cats they may have associated health conditions that worsen their rabies. Confirming the infection and starting treatment is equally as important for cats as the disease is usually fatal for them too if treatment has not been started before the acute neurological stage of the disease. Cats also tend to experience the swallowing difficulties that come with rabies worse than dogs do.

Rabies Treatment

Any discussion of rabies treatment must begin with advising dog and cat owners that having your pet vaccinated against rabies is highly recommended. Most owners will have their pet receive the vaccination as soon as it is possible, and that’s based on the understanding that rabies is still a fairly prevalent risk for dogs and cats. Plus the fact that symptoms may not be seen until the rabies disease is at the stage that it can’t be reversed and severe debilitation or death is unavoidable.

There is no course of medication that is a viable means of treating rabies in dogs or cats, and it is for this reason that ensuring your pet receives a rabies vaccination is so important. It’s best to discuss this with a veterinarian when your pet is still a puppy or kitten and see how soon they can be eligible to receive one.