Rabies, eradicated in many areas, remains a worldwide distribution problem as there is no treatment and the virus evolves to kill the host; that is why prevention through vaccination in our domestic dogs is so important.
If you want to know more about other vaccines needed in our pets consult our previous post.
Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that affects the nervous system of warm-blooded animals such as dogs, foxes or bats, but it can also affect us humans.
It is a disease that is transmitted with the contact of the saliva of the infected with the blood of the healthy one, of a bite for example or a scratch. It does not affect immediately, but the incubation period can be very long, up to 1 year depending on how far this central nervous system bite has been. The virus is transmitted through the nerve fibers until it reaches the brain, so the farther from the central nervous system the bite, the longer the incubation period.
As we have said before it is lethal in dogs and very serious in people, with very difficult treatment.
The first symptoms that appear are fever, pain, itching and burning or tingling sensation in the area of the infection. Subsequently, furious rabies may manifest with excitement, hyperactivity, aerophobia and hydrophobia resulting in death by cardiorespiratory arrest. Or paralytic rabies that begins with paralysis of muscles near the virus entry zone and extends throughout the body to death.
Unfortunately, when the disease has already manifested there is no treatment; that is why prevention through vaccination of the main hosts, the dogs, is so important. Dog rabies vaccination creates an immune response to the virus. The animal is protected from day 14 after inoculation. If the vaccine has been administered correctly, its effectiveness is 100%.
In our Animal Salut center we recommend the first inoculation of the vaccine at 6 months of age, but it can be vaccinated from 12 weeks of age; before that we do not recommend it because it would not be effective because the maternal antibodies counteract the effect.
In Spain vaccination against rabies is compulsory every year except in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia. In these communities vaccination is compulsory in breeds that are considered potentially dangerous such as American Stafford, Pitbull, Akita Inu…
In addition, when traveling to a country where rabies is not eradicated, it is important to ensure that our animals are properly protected before starting the journey and crossing borders. This often involves, in addition to vaccination, proving through blood tests that you have good immunization levels.
To travel with him to other countries or communities, from Animal Salut we always recommend vaccination against rabies. For that reason, and taking advantage of the good weather, we want to launch this campaign so that you can take your best friend with you anywhere with maximum tranquility.
