Rabies Treatment for Animals

Rabies is a viral infection transmitted by the saliva from the bite of an infected animal. Because the virus has a highly variable incubation period, it may be present in animals without outward signs of infection. Dogs, cats, raccoons, bats and other animals--both wild and domestic--may carry and transmit the rabies virus. Once symptoms manifest, rabies is incurable and fatal. Pre-exposure immunization can prevent infection. Immediate post-exposure isolation is the only option--aside from euthanasia--for non-vaccinated animals.

Pre-Exposure Treatment

• The most effective and safest treatment for rabies is for an animal to undergo pre-exposure treatment. Vaccinations are inexpensive and widely available in North America. In Asia and Africa, where rabies is more common, vaccines are also available to prevent infection between animals. The rabies vaccination is highly effective at preventing infection.

Vaccination Protocol

• All dogs in America are required to be vaccinated, though not all states mandate rabies vaccination for cats. Vaccination procedure indicates that the first dosage be administered to an animal around the age of 3 months, and again at the age of 1 year. At 2 years, three-year rabies vaccinations may be used.

Animal Exposure

• Immediate euthanization is recommended for any non-vaccinated pet that may have been exposed to rabies. Post-mortem tissue testing is used to confirm rabies exposure. Exposure to rabies is presumed to occur whenever a pet is scratched, bitten or attacked by another animal--including bats--that cannot be tested for the virus. If the attacking animal can be caught and tested, then additional treatment steps may be taken.

Non-Euthanasia Options

• If euthanasia isn't used, animals must be placed--for a minimum of six months--in strict isolation for observation. If a pet has an expired or out-of-date rabies vaccine prior to exposure, the pet should be immediately evaluated by a veterinarian or animal care specialist. Animals with prior, up-to-date rabies vaccinations are isolated for 45 days.

Importance of Vaccination

• Rabies is a fatal neurological virus and a great public health threat. Vaccinations are necessary to preserve both individual animals' health and community health and safety. While post-exposure treatments for humans are available, post-exposure treatments for animals are essentially non-existent. The only truly viable option is to vaccinate pets against the rabies virus.