Rabies signs & symptoms · Rabies diagnosis · Rabies treatment · Rabies r elated articles
Rabies Medical terms: Drooling (ptylism), Zoonotic
Rabies is a deadly viral disease that infected pets and wild life spread, usually by biting. Rabies causes fatal illness because it attacks the nervous system, changing how the brain functions and how animals behave. Rabies is easily spread from animals to people (zoonotic disease), but it can be prevented by vaccinating pets. In the US, we spend more than $300 million annually to prevent and treat rabies.
All mammals, including livestock, pets, and people, are susceptible to Rabies. In 2004, there were 6836 cases of Rabies in animals and 8 cases of Rabies in humans in the U.S. Over 90% of animal rabies cases were in wildlife: raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. About 8% of Rabies infections were in domestic animals: dogs, cats, and cattle. The state of Texas had the highest number of rapid animals. Most cases of dog and cat Rabies don’t occur in stray animals, but in family pets. Their owners have not had them vaccinated.
Before vaccination became legally required in so many communities, more than 90% of rabies cases reported each year were in pets and domestic animals. That has changed, and today, only 10% of rabies cases in the US occur in pets and domestic animals.
Detailed information is available from the Center for Disease Control.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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