What animals get rabies?

All mammals, including man, are susceptible to rabies. There are several strains of the virus which are carried by different animals. The raccoon strain of the virus has been affecting the New England area since September of 1992.

Although a strain is specific to a particular animal, other mammals are susceptible to that strain as well. When an animal other than the normal host species contracts the virus, it is called a spillover. In the case of the raccoon strain, the most common spillover animals have included skunks, cats, woodhucks, and foxes. The fact that spillover occurs is cause for some concern.

How is rabies transmitted?

Rabies is transmitted most commonly by means of a bite which introduces virus in the saliva of the infected animal to the victim.

What happens next?

Once the virus has been introduced under the skin, it replicates at the site and spreads to the brain via the nerves and spinal cord. The time the virus takes to reach the brain is called the incubation period. This period is determined by how far the bite wound is from the head.

During the incubation period the aniomal is NOT infectious. However, once this period has ended -- with the virus reaching the brain and proceeding to the sallivary glands of the animal -- that animal now becomes infectious and IS capable of transmitting the virus through a bite.

For dogs and cats there is a period of about three days in which an animal will shed rabies virus in its saliva, but will not be showing any neurological signs. After this, the victim will begin to exhibit signs of the disease and its health will deteriorate rapidly. Most likely, a dog or cat will be dead within 4 or 5 days of showing clinical signs of the disease.

The only way to immediately determine if an animal is rabid is to test its brain tissue. In order to do this, the animal must be killed. This is the procedure when someone is bitten by a wild animal or by an animal in which the virus shedding times have not been determined. 

The Department of Public Health suggests a bite victim start rabies treatment by the 10th day after an exposure. We know that a rabid dog or at will begin showing signs of rabies within three days of becoming infectious. When soemone is bitten by an apparently healthy dog or dcat, we can simply confine and observe the animal for a ten-day period. If the biting animal remains healthy while under the ten-day quarantine, the bite victim is not at risk and does not need rabies treatment.

How effective is animal rabies vaccine?

Extremely. The U. S. Department of Agriculture is the approving authority for vaccines used in animals. Rabies vaccines are tested for efficacy by vaccinating test animals, waiting a period of one to three years (depending on the duration of the vaccine) and then challenging the animals by injecting them with the rabies virus. To gain approval, 88% of test animals must remain healthy. Although it is theoretically possible for 12% of the test animals to become infected, the approved rabies vaccines now in use are close to being 100% effective.

My dog was current on his vaccination when he bit someone. Why is he being quarantined?

Because rabies vaccines are not 100% effective, dogs and cats which bite people must be quarantined regardless of their vaccination status.

For which animals are there approved rabies vaccines?

Dogs, cats, sheep, cattle, horses, and ferrets have USFA-approved rabies vaccine.