Can i get rabies from my puppy

Due to their small size, bat bites or scratches may not be noticeable or leave no obvious puncture wounds. Bat rabies occurs in every country with the exception of New Zealand and Antarctica. Bats are a high risk vector for Rabies transmission because bite wounds or scratches can go undetected and therefore untreated. In some circumstances, the victim may not even know they had contact with a bat — bats become most active at night and may bite or scratch a person while they sleep.

While most animals will demonstrate some signs of illness such as aggression or lack of balance, some may not have noticeable symptoms. In countries with canine Rabies, avoid contact with dogs and other biting mammals such as monkeys , particularly if they are acting strangely.

Teach children not to pet, feed, or play with animals — even if the animal is friendly. Encourage them to report any contact with an animal and reassure them that it is not their fault if they get bitten or scratched. If you or your child are bitten or scratched by an animal, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, rinse it with antiseptic, and immediately seek medical care.

After the bite of an infected animal, Rabies symptoms may take weeks, months, or in some cases, years to appear in humans this is known as the incubation period. The length of time before symptoms appear can vary based on where you were bitten arm, leg, face, etc. The long incubation period of Rabies can make diagnosis and treatment difficult because patients may assume no infection occurred until symptoms develop — at which point the disease becomes fatal.

If you suspect you were exposed to the Rabies virus, always seek prompt medical care and vaccination. The Rabies vaccine is administered in a series of vaccines, which can be given before potential exposure as a preventive measure or after a bite from an infected animal. Depending on whether you were vaccinated before exposure or not will determine what set of Rabies vaccines you require after a bite or a scratch:.

The World Health Organization recently released revised Rabies vaccination guidelines that support a condensed vaccination schedule and dosage. Rabies is a preventable, but serious disease. In October of , a family in Vermont adopted a puppy from the shelter who had somehow contracted rabies, according to news site WCAX. Everyone in contact with the puppy had to go through a treatment that involved getting multiple shots over a period of 14 days.

You can get rabies from an infected puppy, but only if he has begun showing signs of infection and hasn't been vaccinated. If you get bitten by a pet or any animal, call your doctor and vet immediately. Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of any infected mammal, including dogs, cats and humans. Rabies has no cure, and animals who begin to show signs of infection typically die within five days.

The only way to test for rabies is to examine the brain of a deceased animal. Rabies can't be tested for in animals who are still alive. Most states have laws mandating vaccinations for both cats and dogs. An animal infected with rabies may exhibit changes in behavior initially, appearing more friendly, aggressive or anxious than usual. As the condition worsens, animals may become extremely sensitive to light and sound.

There are no treatments available for rabies. Once a pet is infected with rabies, there is no medication or treatment that your veterinarian can offer [2].

The only way to truly save your pet from rabies is to prevent them from getting it in the first place with a vaccine. Ensure that all your pets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccination. The first, best and easiest step is prevention — talk to your vet to make sure your pet is current on rabies vaccination.

Prevent contact with wildlife or unvaccinated pets. Keep dogs on their leash and keep cats indoors. Keep food sources inside to prevent potentially rabid animals from coming near your pets like raccoons, skunks, foxes, and bats.

Sign Up. Rabies and My Pet. Accessed August 2, Compendium of animal rabies prevention and control, Zoetis United States. Rabies: what is the risk for my pet? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Accessed September 9, Rabies Facts and Prevention Sheet. American Humane. Expert Care Blog Adoption Guide.