Rabies is transmitted from the saliva of an infected animal to an exposed host. This usually takes place as a bite, but the virus can be transmitted from a scratch, if there is saliva on the nails of the infected animal. Rabies can be transmitted from aerosol exposure. This is especially important with spelunkers (cave explorers) who enter caves where there is a large population of bats. The virus can be inhaled through the mucuous membranes by a susceptible host.
Early clinical signs of rabies include fever, muscle aches, anxiety, and progress to hallucinations, deliria, seizures, muscle twitching, change in behavior, aggression (madness), and hydrophobia (fear of water). The incubation period is dependent on where the entry point of the vrus. The virus travels up the nerves, to the spinal cord, then enters the brain. The closer to the head the person or pet is exposed, the shorter the incubation period. Death without treatment is almost a certainty within 2-10 days after exposure.
Transmission of the rabies occurs via the saliva. The animal is capable of transmitting rabies when the virus migrates from the brain to the salivary glands. When a domestic animal with an unknown vaccination history bites a person, they are quarantined for 10 days. The animal can only transmit the virus when it is in the salivary gland and studies have shown that if they were infective at the time of the bite, they will be dead within 10 days. The bitten person then is subjected to rabies post exposure treatment. This treatment involves 5 painful injections and is very expensive, but without treatment, death is almost a certainty. There have been only a few cases of people surviving rabies without post exposure treatment.
All pets should be vaccinated for rabies and kept inside. Cats are more likely to contract rabies and more likely to transmit the disease because they are more predatory by nature and become much more aggressive when they develop rabies. The vaccination is inexpensive, safe and very effective.
