Rabies is a viral disease that infects wild animals and sometimes pets that have been bitten by a rabid animal. The virus ultimately attacks the central nervous system and brain. There are three phases of signs.
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Behavior
A change in the animal's behavior is the first subtle sign of a rabies infection. While this is difficult to notice in a wild animal, a family pet might want to be left alone or start to behave differently from its usual character. Behavior changes begin the prodromal phase of symptoms.
Prodromal
Other signs of rabies in the prodromal stage include loss of appetite and fever. The animal might scratch at the area where he was bitten by the rabid animal. If the animal that was bitten is a dog, the dog's bark might change in the way it normally sounds.
Mad Dog Syndrome
Mad Dog Syndrome, also called the furious phase, is what the public generally thinks of as rabies. The infected animal becomes extremely agitated and will furiously attack anything that moves. If caged, they will attack the bars even after their teeth break. They also might crave eating unusual things, have dilated pupils, and be confused and restless among other things.
Paralytic
Not all animals will go through the furious phase. Some seem to skip it and go into the paralytic phase. The signs of rabies during this phase include an inability to swallow, throat paralysis, choking, and in dogs, a dropped lower jaw. The animal drools and exhibits excessive foaming saliva.
Paralysis
As the paralytic stage continues, the paralysis spreads throughout the animal's body, resulting in coma and death.
