Stages of Rabies and Diseases

Rabies is a viral disease that can affect all mammals, although it is rare in domesticated animals and even more rare in humans. Most human cases of rabies are because of a bite from an infected wild animal, such as a bat or raccoon. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 7 percent of animal rabies cases in 2008 were in domesticated animals. The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system and often results in death. One of the best ways to prevent rabies infections is to vaccinate your pets. Among pets and farm animals most likely to transmit the rabies virus to humans include cats, dogs, cows, ferrets, goats, horses and rabbits, according to mayoclinic.com. Wild animals can include bats, beavers, coyotes, foxes, monkeys, raccoons, skunks and woodchucks.

Early Stages

• The early stages of the rabies virus can develop anywhere from a few days until up a year after being bitten by an infected animal. One of the most common and earliest signs of the infection is a tingling sensation where the bite occurred. In the early stages, it is also common to develop a fever, muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, nausea and loss of appetite.

Intermediate Stage

• As the virus progresses into an intermediate stage, more symptoms will begin to develop. Many of the symptoms are neurological, such as hallucinations, irritability, mental confusion, onset of aggressiveness, seizures and abnormal thinking or actions. You may also notice difficulty speaking, increased production of tears or saliva, increased sensitivity to light and sound, body weakness and unusual body postures.

Late Stages

• In the final stages of rabies, when the nervous system begins to fail, symptoms worsen to include foaming at the mouth because of increased saliva production, sudden extreme fear of water, double vision, difficulty moving the facial muscles and problems controlling the muscles that enable breathing.

Treatment

• Prompt treatment of rabies is critical and should start immediately after being bitten by a wild or unknown animal. Start by washing the bite with soap and water and covering it with a bandage. Then, seek immediate medical attention. If it cannot be determined whether the animal had rabies, doctors will presume it did. Treatment involves receiving a series of injections of the rabies vaccine. These shots are usually administered on the day of the bite, then three, seven and 14 days later. When treatment is not received, the virus is almost always fatal.