Rabies is a disease that brings to mind foaming at the mouth and rabid dogs. Rabies can be transferred to pets as well as humans from an infected animal such as a bat or raccoon. The disease is fatal and any animal that appears to be infected should not be approached. Read on to learn the most important facts about rabies and what you should do if confronted with an infected animal.

100% Fatal

To begin, it is important to know that rabies is 100% fatal. This is why is it so important to avoid animals that could be infected. Once symptoms begin to appear, the disease is fatal. The incubation time for the disease will vary and can take a week or even a year to appear. If left untreated, symptoms can occur within one to three months. Treatment should always be sought by anyone who has been bitten or come in contact with saliva of an animal believed to have rabies. If possible, the animal should be tested to confirm the infection.

Symptoms are Hard to Spot

The symptoms associated with rabies are hard to spot. Typically, the symptoms will mimic other illness or disease. A fever and headache are common along with a prickly feeling along the wound site. The fatal portion of the disease comes from when the brain and spinal cord swell. In the end, the individual will begin to have hallucinations, be unable to sleep and become delirious.

Two Types of Rabies

There are actually two types of rabies in existence. The most common form is known as Furious Rabies due to the disease causing severe aggression. The second type is known as paralytic rabies and this one is rarer, causing slow paralysis until the individual is induced into a coma.

The Rabies Vaccine

If you need a rabies vaccination, you will receive the shot in the upper arm, in the fatty muscle tissue. The shot is necessary to ward off the disease before symptoms set in. The virus can be eliminated before symptoms arise as antibodies are built-up to fight the disease.

Disinfecting the Wound

If you are bitten by an animal that is potentially infected with rabies, be sure to clean the wound thoroughly. Run over the wound with water and use an anti-bacterial soap for a minimum of 15 minutes. This can kill the majority of the bacteria in the wound. A physician still needs to be seen but take great care to clean the wound as best you can beforehand.

At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, we know the risk of approaching a rabid animal. We offer wildlife removal services and can help to remove such animals as raccoons and bats which can be affected by the rabies virus. Instead of trying to catch the animal yourself, contact our wildlife experts so that you remain safe and the animal is humanely removed from the home. Contact our office today to find out how we can help with wildlife removal needs. Our animal removal services in Toronto can help you with the removal of squirrels, bats, raccoons and mice, among other animals.