My dog has rabies symptoms: fear of water, not eating. What to do?

Please put a muzzle on your dog and immediately take him to a veterinarian. There is a possibility that your dog may have been infected with rabies, especially if he is not up to date with rabies vaccine. Please also see a doctor since he bit you. Rabies is a deadly disease.

Hi Milna! I'm sorry to hear that your puppy was bitten. There are no symptoms of rabies that appear immediately. Since rabies is a fatal disease that can be transmitted through bodily fluids (saliva, blood) to humans, please take your puppy to a vet immediately. In addition to the concern of rabies, your puppy should have his wound evaluated, cleaned, and be started on a course of antibiotics.

Animals with rabies typically become progressively worse with other neurologic symptoms (such as muscle tremors and seizures), and die within a few days of beginning to show symptoms. So if this behavior has been going on for longer than that, it isn't rabies - instead, it's likely to be a behavior issue. From your description, it sounds like Max is very anxious and fearful. Many fearful dogs are also aggressive towards other animals and people. If you want to work on this problem, I would recommend making an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate him in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan for his aggression and anxiety issues. This might include medication, as well as management suggestions to help him avoid situations that make him afraid, and specific training exercises you can work on to help with this behavior. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org

No. If a dog is suspected to be infected with rabies it needs to be brought to a veterinarian and monitored or humanely euthanized. Keeping a dog that is rabid with other pets is dangerous as the infected dog may attack or harm another person or animal and spread the disease which is serious and deadly.

Symptoms of rabies are excessive foaming at the mouth and neurological symptoms which can include atsia, severe aggression, muscle twitches, etc. I sure do hope that your puppy does not have rabies. If you suspect he does then it is highly recommended to take him to your nearest veterinarian right away for an evaluation. Best of luck to you. Take care.

The incubation period of rabies in dogs is typically between three to eight weeks, but there have been reported cases of incubation periods lasting up to six months. Behavioral changes are an early sign of rabies, as well as a hypersensitivity to light and sounds. There could also be another medical cause behind his behavior. If you concerned that Snoopy has rabies, you need to take him into the vet immediately. The only test to confirm rabies is a post-mortem exam of the brain, but your vet can quarantine him to see if his symptoms progress further. You will also need to see your doctor immediately if the vet thinks Snoopy has rabies, as you will have been exposed to it if he bit you, and you will need vaccines. Please take Snoopy into a vet now.

This poor dog could be shivering because of pain or being cold. If you are concerned about rabies, do not approach him, but you would see aggression from the dog as well as foaming at the mouth if he had it. I would called your local animal rescue to come and get him right away. He likely needs veterinary treatment, which they can provide. Good luck, I hope this helps!