Rabies is an acute, progressive viral encephalitis that is almost always fatal once neurological signs begin, and every mammal is thought to be susceptible. In the United States the dog-adapted virus variant is gone, yet dogs still catch rabies from wildlife, and every rabid dog is a potential human exposure. That is why the NAVLE treats canine rabies mainly as a public health question: what to do with a dog that bit someone, what to do with a dog that met a rabid animal, and how to get a diagnosis.
Key facts
Rabies (suspected or confirmed) at a glance- Species: dog (all mammals susceptible; cats are now the most often reported rabid domestic animal in the US).
- System: nervous system (encephalomyelitis).
- Cause: rabies virus, genus Lyssavirus, family Rhabdoviridae; bullet-shaped, enveloped, single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus.
- Classic presentation: sudden behaviour change progressing to aggression (furious form) or to jaw and throat paralysis with drooling and dysphagia (paralytic form), then ascending paralysis and death.
- Diagnosis: direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test on brain tissue after euthanasia; there is no reliable antemortem test in animals.
- Zoonotic and reportable: yes. Suspect cases and exposures go to the local or state health department.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 3 figures, 3 self-test questions and 10 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.