I still remember that when I first came to know about what is Rabies diseases, it wasn’t from a textbook or from the story, it was from my real life story. Once upon a time I was playing with my friends and suddenly my villagers. I heard the noise of screaming and everybody was having some weapons like guns and knives. I saw that they are running behind the dog to k**l him and I was wondering that why people are trying to take live of an innocent animals, and when then I came to know that dog was infected by the rabies disease and he was biting other people of the villagers.
So the villagers took a strong decision to k**l the dog. At that time I don’t know how old I was. That day I realized rabies is not an animal problem but it’s a human health crisis too. I came to know very early that the people who were bitten by that dog has to rush for rabies injection and the fear in their eyes told me more than any article ever could.
What Exactly is Rabies Disease?
Rabies disease is a deadly viral infection that affects the brain and nervous system of the mammals, including humans. Once the virus comes in the body, it reaches the brain and causes several inflammations, confusion, hallucinations, paralysis, and eventually to the dead. What makes rabies so terrifying is that it’s 100% fatal once symptoms appear, but the good news is that it is 100% preventable if you take quick action against it. This virus spreads mostly through the bite and scratch of the infected animals, especially dogs. In fact, in many countries, including mine, rabies symptoms in dogs are very common warning signs of outbreak.
Why Talking About Rabies Disease Matters?
I know that many people are thinking that, oh, rabies is a rare disease and it won’t happen to me. But the truth is that tens of thousands people are dying every year, especially in Africa and Asia, due to this disease. And most of them are even don’t know that they have rabies disease. Many of cases can be prevented, could be prevented by the awareness, quick action, and access to treatment. That’s why I feel that writing on rabies disease can be worth it. In my word, I can help people recognize the rabies symptom in dog, understand the importance of timely injection or spread awareness in the community. Let me clarify you one thing that in the case of rabies, ignorance can literally cost lives.
Source:
World Health Organization (WHO) – Rabies Fact Sheet
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Rabies Information
Mayo Clinic – Rabies Disease Overview
How Rabies Spreads and Symptoms in Dogs
When I first heard about rabies disease, I thought that it was spreading by just a dog bite. There are no other sources for it to spread. Simple, right? I think that if I don’t go near to dog, then dog wouldn’t bite me. And I don’t have to fear about rabies disease and take injection. That’s it. But the reality is much deeper and honestly much scarier.
How Does Rabies Spread?
Rabies virus is not like flu which float in the air and does not spread through casual contact like handshakes. This virus travels through in a hidden way like in saliva of infected animals. So whenever an infected dog, cat, bat, or even monkey bite or scratch you, this virus enters in your body. Sometimes it can enter through a leak on a broken skin or a mucous membrane.
The part which shocked me when I learned about it is that, when I came to know that when it first enters in your body, it travels slowly along the nerves until it reaches your brain. This process can take days, weeks, or sometimes even months. And the most dangerous thing is that while it is traveling in your nerves, you will feel perfectly fine and symptoms cannot be seen in you. You might also forget about the bite, but the moment it reaches the brain, symptoms start appearing and from that point survival becomes almost impossible. That’s why people rush to get rabies injection whenever animal bites them.
Why Dogs Are the Biggest Source
In more than 95% of the human rabies cases, rabies symptoms in dogs are responsible. This is not because dogs are easy targets, but because dogs are living very closely with humans. In our village, there are so many dogs which live with us, and from most of them are harmless. But if one of the dogs seems with rabies symptoms, whole village will become a panic and villagers will pick up guns and harmful tools to k**l the dog. People would avoid walking at night, children were not allowed outside, and shopkeepers kept sticks near their doors for safety.
Rabies Symptoms in Dogs
I think if you are a pet owner than you know about the symptoms of rabies in animal. It’s perfectly fine if you don’t know, here I am providing you the symptoms which are seen in animals which can save both other’s life as well as animal life.
Change in Behavior – A friendly dog may suddenly become aggressive, or an aggressive one may become unusually calm.
Excessive Drooling or Foaming – The virus affects the dog’s ability to swallow, so they drool excessively.
Biting Everything – Dogs with rabies sometimes bite at objects, other animals, or even their own body.
Restlessness or Fear – The dog may appear restless, pacing constantly, or suddenly terrified of water (this is where the term “hydrophobia” comes from).
Paralysis – In the final stage, the dog becomes weak, unable to move, and eventually dies.
Sources
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Rabies Transmission
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Rabies and Animals
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) – Rabies and Dogs
Rabies in Humans – Symptoms, Fear, and First Response
Rabies is a virus which can stay hidden for incubation period usually from 20 days to 3 months, sometimes it can be shorter or sometime it can be much longer. When the symptoms finally show up, they appear in early stage.
Early Stage
Fever
Headache
Fatigue
Pain or tingling at the site of the bite
Progressive Neurological Symptoms
Anxiety and confusion
Agitation and aggressive behavior
Difficulty swallowing (leading to fear of water – hydrophobia)
Muscle spasms
Hallucinations
Final Stage
In the final stage, the patient sleeps into paralysis, coma, and eventually to death. Without treatment before symptoms appear, survival is almost impossible.
What To Do Immediately After a Bite
Now here is the most important part that what to do immediately after a bite. Many people fail in this process not because they don’t care but because they don’t know how to treat or by applying the home remedies or the remedies which is given by someone. Now I will tell you the factual remedies to do immediately after a bite.
First, wash the wound immediately. Use soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. This simple step can reduce the risk. Second, apply antiseptic. Antiseptic is now available almost everywhere. Use iodine or alcohol to disinfect the wounded space. Third, rush for medical help. Do not wait for a doctor to come there or the people’s home remedies. Doctor will recommend a rabies injection series also called PEP, post-exposure prophylaxis, which is lifesaver. Fourth, avoid risky remedies. Please, please, please avoid the home remedies which are not factual such as applying chili powder, turmeric, or trying a cloth around the wound. These do nothing against rabies.
The earlier the injection is given, the higher the chance of protection. But once a symptom starts showing up, there is almost impossible to defeat rabies.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Rabies Symptoms and Treatment
- World Health Organization (WHO) – First Aid for Rabies
- Mayo Clinic – Rabies in Humans
Rabies Injection Price
Many people hesitate for going medical help not because they don’t care but because they fear the expenses of rabies injection. But I have learned that the price of life is always greater than the price of prevention. And that’s 100% true. Because on your shoulder there are many lives dependent. Rabies injection price may vary from country and region type of vaccine and number of doses required. But in India, I have seen a price range from 350 to 500 per dose in government set up. But the private hospital charge is different between 700 to 1500 per dose. On the global basis, it can go from $10 to $50 per dose depending on the location and availability.
Sources
- World Health Organization (WHO) – Rabies Vaccines
- National Health Mission (India) – Rabies Prophylaxis Guidelines
- CDC – Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis
Can Rabies Be Cured? – The Harsh Truth Everyone Must Know
We know that science has advanced in so many fields but in terms of rabies it is a harsh truth that rabies is not curable once it reaches to the brain. In this blog I have provided you all the possible information such as rabies disease, rabies injection price, rabies symptoms in dog, rabies symptoms in humans, rabies is curable or not. Now it is in your hand and please stay away from the aggressive animals. Your life is in your hand that’s all.
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