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Rabies in dogs: signs, vaccination and what to do after a bite

Rabies in dogs spreads by bite and is fatal once signs appear; vaccinating dogs protects people too. If anyone is bitten, wash the wound and see a doctor.

··8 min readMinimal Focus

Rabies in dogs is a viral infection of the nervous system that spreads almost always by a bite and, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, is fatal once signs appear. The World Health Organization (WHO) says dogs are responsible for the virus in up to 99% of human rabies cases, so vaccinating dogs protects people as well as pets. If a person is bitten or scratched by any animal, WHO advises washing the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and seeking medical attention, and the CDC says to seek medical care urgently. A doctor decides whether post-exposure treatment is needed.

Bitten or scratched by an animal? Do this now. WHO says to wash the wound immediately with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says to seek medical care urgently. India’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says to wash with soap and water for up to 15 minutes and to go to a medical officer or the nearest health facility for the vaccine and other further treatment. It also says that putting irritants such as chilli, oils, turmeric, lime or salt on the wound is strictly prohibited.

Call a vet now if your dog suddenly changes behaviour, turns aggressive or oddly friendly, drools heavily, cannot swallow, has a drooping jaw or has weakness that keeps getting worse. Merck says that with the paralytic form, people can be infected when examining the dog’s mouth or giving it medicine with bare hands.

What is rabies in dogs, and how do dogs catch it?

Merck describes rabies as a viral infection that causes sudden, progressive inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Dogs catch it when saliva from an infected animal enters the body, nearly always through a bite. WHO adds that the virus can also spread through scratches or contact with the eyes, mouth or open wounds.

The virus can be in the body for weeks before signs develop. Merck says most cases in dogs appear 21 to 80 days after exposure, though the gap can be much shorter or longer. Its professional manual adds that dogs may shed the virus in saliva up to 10 days before signs begin.

Globally, the dog is the most important reservoir of rabies virus, particularly in Asia and Africa, according to that manual. India’s national action plan says rabies is endemic in every state and union territory except the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. It names the presence of unvaccinated free-roaming dogs among human settlements as a major contributor to the high incidence of rabies in India. WHO’s 2021 news item on the plan says India suffers approximately 36% of the world’s human rabies deaths transmitted by dogs.

What are the signs of rabies in a dog?

Merck says the most reliable indicators are sudden, severe behaviour changes and unexplained paralysis that worsens over time. Early changes can include sudden loss of appetite, nervousness, irritability and over-excitement. A rabid animal may seek solitude, or an unfriendly one may turn friendly. Merck describes two main forms.

  • Furious rabies. The classic “mad-dog” picture. The dog may bite viciously with the slightest provocation, with an alert, anxious posture and dilated pupils, and noise can invite attack. Young pups may be overly playful, then bite even when petted. Seizures and poor coordination follow, and death comes from progressive paralysis.
  • Paralytic (“dumb”) rabies. The throat and jaw muscles are paralysed, often with excess saliva, a drooping lower jaw and inability to swallow. These dogs may not be vicious and rarely try to bite. Paralysis then spreads through the body, and death follows within a few hours.

Diagnosis is difficult, Merck says, especially where rabies is uncommon, because early rabies is easily confused with other diseases or with normal aggression. Its professional manual says no definitive test is available for rabies in a live animal, and that a diagnosis should be made only by a qualified laboratory.

What should you do if a dog bites or scratches you?

The steps below come from WHO, the CDC and India’s National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). They are not a substitute for a doctor’s assessment.

  1. Wash the wound at once. WHO says to wash with water and soap for at least 15 minutes. The CDC says soap and water for 15 minutes. NCDC’s wound-washing guidance says “up to 15 minutes”, adds that soap helps inactivate the virus, and says washing should be done even if the person reports late.
  2. Do not use irritants. NCDC names chilli, soil, oils, turmeric, lime, salt, ash and plant juice, and prohibits cauterising the wound with acid, alkali, flame or heat.
  3. See a doctor straight away. The CDC says medical help is needed right away. WHO’s post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is thorough wound washing, a course of human rabies vaccine and, when indicated, rabies immunoglobulin or monoclonal antibodies. WHO says an accurate risk assessment is crucial for deciding whether PEP is needed, and the CDC says healthcare and public health professionals assess each person who may have been exposed. A doctor decides on post-exposure treatment.
  4. Tell the doctor about the animal. The CDC lists the type of animal, any sign it was not acting normally and, for a pet, proof that its rabies vaccination is up to date.

WHO says rabies is virtually 100% fatal once symptoms appear, but that rabies deaths are preventable with prompt PEP.

This article repeats what WHO, the CDC and NCDC say and is not medical advice for a person who has been bitten. For how this site handles health information, see the editorial policy and disclaimer.

Why does vaccinating dogs stop rabies in people?

WHO calls mass dog vaccination, including puppies, the most cost-effective way to prevent rabies in people, because it stops transmission at its source. It says culling free-roaming dogs is not effective. Rabies causes an estimated 44,203 deaths a year in WHO’s 2021 model, probably under-reported, and 40% of deaths are in children under 15.

A joint fact sheet from the FAO, OIE (now WOAH) and WHO says vaccine coverage needs to reach at least 70% of the canine population to break transmission from dogs to humans. India’s national action plan for eliminating dog-mediated rabies by 2030, published in 2021, sets the same target: at least 70% of dogs in an area vaccinated every year for three consecutive years, then maintained.

What does WSAVA say about rabies vaccine for dogs?

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) says that wherever rabies is endemic, vaccination should be considered essential for dogs and cats, and the vaccine is “core” there, even if no law requires it. Its full guideline says this protects pets and humans, and that mass canine vaccination has been shown to greatly reduce or eliminate rabies cases. It also notes that most rabies vaccines are inactivated and that a single dose can immunise.

For timing, WSAVA says to follow local laws and the product leaflet. The dog vaccination schedule article sets out what the guideline says, why puppy vaccines run to 16 weeks explains the puppy series, and when a puppy can go out for walks covers the weeks before the series ends. Rabies is one of several vaccine decisions; the leptospirosis vaccine for dogs in Kerala is another.

Frequently asked questions

Can a dog spread rabies before it looks sick?

Merck’s professional manual says dogs, cats and ferrets may shed rabies virus up to 10 days before signs begin. The CDC says anyone who may have been exposed to rabies should seek medical care urgently.

Is a rabid dog always aggressive?

No. In the paralytic form Merck says dogs may not be vicious and rarely try to bite. It also says an unfriendly animal may become friendly. Sudden behaviour change in either direction is a reason to call a vet.

How long should a bite wound be washed?

WHO says at least 15 minutes with soap and water, and the CDC says 15 minutes. NCDC’s wound-washing document says up to 15 minutes. The wording differs, but all begin immediately with soap and water and lead on to medical care.

Is the rabies vaccine for dogs needed every year?

WSAVA says the interval is often set by law and the vaccine’s licensed duration, which is 1 or 3 years, and that where the two differ the law must be followed. Ask your vet which applies to the vaccine used.

Sources

General education, not veterinary advice for your animal. See the disclaimer and how articles are checked in the editorial policy.

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