Rabies Symptoms in Dogs

Around the world, 97% of  human rabies cases come from dog bites. Dogs usually have an incubation period of about 3 to 8 weeks, which is longer than cats and shorter than humans. This period is extremely variable, however, so the best tool for diagnosing rabies is always to test the suspicious animal.

When the virus makes it to the dog’s brain, any or all of three stages mark the progress of the disease. These are:

The Prodromal phase

Although more pronounced in cats, this first stage of rabies causes the dog to act unusually. A friendly animal may become frightened of people or aggressive, whereas a typically unsociable dog may become strangely affectionate. Dogs infected by a bite will lick the wound constantly and may develop a fever. The prodromal phase tends to last about 2 days.

The Furious phase

This phase is probably most commonly associated with the notion of a rabid dog. In fact, cats are actually more likely to develop furious rabies but dogs can experience restlessness, disorientation and random aggression. Death can occur during this period as the animal is disoriented and prone to seizures. This phase occurs from 2 to 4 days from the onset of the first symptoms.

The Paralytic phase

The final stage of rabies, the paralytic phase,  manifests the loss of muscle function which will eventually cause most infected animals to die. Approximatly 2 to 4 days from the appearence of symptoms, the dog experiences nerve problems beginning in the head and throat area.  The animal is unable to swallow and may produce large quantities of saliva which is capable of transmitting the virus. The dog becomes unable to control the jaw, tongue, and diaphragm which leads to death by asphyxiation.