If you ever saw the film “Old Yellar” as a kid, I'm sure you will never forget
the tearful experience of seeing Old Yellar being put down, as a result of
Rabies. What a sad ending. Even the fact that Old Yellar had left a pup behind,
couldn't get me over the heartache that I felt. And, that was only a story;
imagine a similar situation, in real life.
Rabies occurs worldwide. There are certain areas where Rabies has been
eradicated through strict quarantine, such as the UK, Scandinavia, Australia
and New Zealand. At least they were free when last I looked, but who knows.
Rabies is a virus that can affect any warm-blooded animal, particularly
carnivores. It is normally transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.
It can be transmitted through inhalation, but this is not normal, the virus
will need to be present in high concentrations in the air, such as in a cave
with a rabid bat population.
Unfortunately rabies can be passed onto humans and is a serious often-fatal
illness. Take absolutely no chances if you have any reason to believe that your
dog has been infected.
Symptoms of Rabies include a light initial fever with a distinct personality
change. Infected dogs can either become irritable and bite, or the opposite can
sometimes happen where the dog shows unusual affection.
The disease progresses along two distinct paths. The dog may become extremely
aggressive, biting anything that moves, or the dog may suffer paralysis as the
virus paralyses the muscles.
In the later stages severe convulsions start, during which time the dog may
die, or continue towards paralysis and later death.
Once a dog has contacted Rabies, I do not know of any treatment. The health
authorities must be notified immediately, and they will take over.
The best and only form of defence that your dog has is by way of vaccination.
Please ensure that, if available in your area, your dog has this very important
Rabies vaccination.
For more dog health and nutrition articles, please click here
Recommended Reading on Dog
Training, House Training, Care and
Behavioural Problem Solutions.
Please Click Here
dog-training-behaviour.com