How to Diagnose Rabies in Dogs

Rabies is a potentially deadly disease that you can prevent with yearly checkups for your dog. Once the disease develops, rabies cannot be cured. The only way to be sure that a dog has rabies is by brain examination after the dog is dead.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Watch the dog after if it has any contact with wild animals or stray dogs. The normal incubation period is 3 to 8 weeks, during which the virus will spread to the brain. It will then pass into the salivary glands where it can be spread by bites.

2. Look for anxiety, solitude, fever and nervousness in dogs. Erratic behavior is also a sign. This will denote the first phase, the Prodromal phase of rabies. It lasts only 2 to 3 days. Pay particular attention if the dog is constantly licking any wounds.

3. Notice any changes in temperament in dogs. Dogs can become angry and even vicious during the Furious stage. They will want to roam and can become overly sensitive to loud noises and bright light.

4. Swallowing becomes more difficult for the animal during the Paralytic phase. This is the phase that you may think of when people refer to rabies. The inability to swallow leaves the dog constantly salivating. They make look like they are choking on something, and will soon die from respiratory failure.

5. Take the dog immediately to a veterinarian if any symptoms occur after being in contact with other animals. They will keep the animal in quarantine.

6. Go to the doctor immediately if you are bitten by an unvaccinated or stray animal. The animal should be quarantined and watched for any signs of rabies so you don't have to do the painful treatments.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your dog in for their rabies vaccination on the appropriate schedule. It is the law to keep your animals vaccinated.