Rabies in Dogs and Cats: Vaccination and Bites

Quick answer

Rabies is a virus that attacks the brain and is almost always fatal once signs appear, in animals and in people. It's prevented by vaccination: puppies and kittens usually get their first rabies shot from about 12 weeks (3 months) old, with boosters as your vet advises. If you are bitten or scratched by any animal whose rabies status you don't know, wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and get medical care the same day.

What rabies is and how it spreads

Rabies virus lives in the saliva of infected mammals and spreads mainly through bites, and also through scratches or licks on broken skin, eyes, nose or mouth. It travels along nerves to the brain, which is why the time between the bite and the first signs can vary so much: from about a week to many months. In people it's usually two to three months.

Dogs are the main source of human rabies worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that dogs are responsible for up to 99% of human cases and that tens of thousands of people die each year, mostly in Asia and Africa and many of them children. In some countries rabies is mainly found in wildlife such as bats, foxes, raccoons or jackals, and some countries are free of rabies in land animals. Whether it's present where you live makes a big difference to the rules and the risk.

Cats catch rabies the same way dogs do, and an infected cat can pass it to people.

Signs in dogs and cats

The first sign is often a change in behaviour. A friendly pet becomes nervous, irritable or withdrawn; a shy one becomes unusually affectionate. Some have a fever or stop eating. After that, the disease usually follows one of two patterns:

• "Furious" rabies: restlessness, aggression, snapping or biting at anything, roaming, eating strange objects, and sensitivity to sound and light. Cats can attack suddenly.
• "Dumb" or paralytic rabies: paralysis of the jaw and throat, a dropped jaw, drooling, trouble swallowing and a change in bark or voice, then weakness spreading through the body.

Both end in paralysis, coma and death, usually within days of signs starting. There is no treatment once an animal is ill.

Drooling and a hanging jaw can look like something stuck in the throat. Don't put your hand in the mouth of a dog or cat with unexplained drooling or jaw paralysis, especially if it hasn't been vaccinated. Let a vet examine it.

Vaccinating your pet

Rabies vaccines for dogs and cats are safe and very effective. Where rabies is present, WSAVA (the World Small Animal Veterinary Association) considers rabies vaccine core for both dogs and cats, even where the law doesn't require it.

A typical pattern is:

• First dose at around 12 weeks (3 months) of age, depending on the vaccine and local rules
• Second dose 2 to 4 weeks later in some high-risk areas, if your vet advises it
• Booster about a year later
• Ongoing boosters every one or three years, depending on the product and local law

Your vet will fit rabies into the wider puppy vaccination schedule or the equivalent kitten course. Keep the certificate safe. You may need proof of vaccination after a bite incident, for travel, or when boarding.

Rules on rabies vaccination, pet travel and what happens after a bite vary by country, so check local requirements with your vet.

If you are bitten or scratched

Act straight away, whatever the animal and however small the wound.

1. Wash the wound under running water with soap for at least 15 minutes. This alone removes a lot of virus. Then apply an antiseptic such as povidone-iodine or alcohol if you have it.
2. Seek medical care the same day for any bite or scratch from an animal of unknown rabies status: strays, wildlife, or a pet whose vaccination you can't confirm.
3. Don't wait to see if the animal becomes ill. Post-exposure treatment works best when started early. It includes a course of rabies vaccine and, for more serious exposures, rabies immunoglobulin or antibodies injected into and around the wound.
4. Don't stitch, bandage tightly or apply home remedies (such as chilli, turmeric, oil or mud) to the wound. Let the doctor manage it.
5. Tell the doctor what animal it was, whether it was provoked, and whether it was acting strangely. If it's someone's pet, ask the owner for proof of rabies vaccination.
6. Finish the full course of injections, even if the animal later seems healthy, unless the doctor tells you otherwise.

In many places, a healthy dog, cat or ferret that bites a person is confined and watched for 10 days. If it stays healthy, it couldn't have passed on rabies at the time of the bite. Doctors still decide whether to start treatment; in areas where rabies is common they often begin straight away and stop if the animal stays well.

If your pet is bitten by another animal

Wear gloves when handling your pet, as saliva from the other animal may be on its coat. Call your vet the same day. If your pet is vaccinated, your vet will usually give a booster and follow local guidance on observation. An unvaccinated pet exposed to a possibly rabid animal is a serious situation, and the options depend on local law. This is one of the strongest reasons to keep vaccinations up to date.

Protecting your family

• Vaccinate every dog and cat in the household and keep boosters current.
• Teach children not to approach unfamiliar or stray animals, and to tell an adult straight away about any bite, scratch or lick. Children often hide minor bites.
• Don't feed or handle stray or wild animals, especially any that seem sick, unusually tame or aggressive.
• If you work with animals or travel to rabies-risk areas, ask a doctor about pre-exposure vaccination for yourself.

See diseases you can catch from pets for other infections to know about.

When to see a vet

Call your vet the same day if your pet:

• Has been bitten or scratched by a stray, wild animal or an animal of unknown vaccination status
• Has fought with an animal that then disappeared or behaved strangely
• Is overdue for its rabies booster and has had any contact with strays

Treat it as an emergency, keep your distance, and call your vet and local authorities if a dog or cat:

• Suddenly changes behaviour, becomes aggressive or bites without reason
• Has a dropped jaw, drools heavily, can't swallow or has a strange bark or cry
• Is staggering, partly paralysed or having seizures

If you think an animal might have rabies, don't try to catch or handle it yourself. Keep people and other pets away.

In Pakistan

Rabies is endemic in Pakistan, and most human cases follow dog bites, often from street dogs. Every dog and cat should be vaccinated against rabies and kept up to date, including cats kept mostly indoors. After any dog or cat bite or scratch, wash the wound with soap and running water for 15 minutes and go to a hospital the same day. Not every clinic stocks rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin, so it helps to know which hospital in your city provides them before you need it. Keep your pet's vaccination card handy for travel, boarding and any bite incident.

If you're looking for a puppy or kitten, browse listings on Paalo and ask each seller for vaccination records before you commit.