You cannot identify a rabid animal based on their appearance or aggression alone! An infected animal can take days to show symptoms.
Rabies is a deadly virus that infected animals can spread to humans through their saliva or transmit to fellow mammals. The transmission of the infection usually happens as a result of an animal bite. There is a common misconception that you can identify a rabid animal based on signs of aggression alone. However, rabid animals don’t always yield symptoms right away. Shumaker’s Animal Control is here to help you learn how to identify a rabid animal.
How Can You Tell if an Animal Has Rabies?
It takes far more than the appearance or aggression of an animal to determine that it has been infected with the rabies virus. Most people think of rabid animals as extremely aggressive or picture them foaming at the mouth. Rabid animals do have increased saliva production and can be aggressive, but they do not always appear as dramatic as the media would have you believe.
If an animal has rabies, they may show the following symptoms: lack of fear, restlessness, seizures, trembling, decreased muscle coordination, and the desire to eat non-edible items. They may also appear unresponsive or unconscious altogether.
Treating Rabies in Pets and Humans
If you or your pet has been exposed to the rabies virus or has been bitten by a wild animal of any kind, seeking medical attention is URGENT. Depending on the circumstance, your pet could die within 4 to 5 days of showing symptoms of the rabies virus. As a pet owner, you have legal responsibilities to ensure that all of your pets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccines at any given time. Rabies vaccines are also available to humans. Humans and pets without vaccinations rarely survive exposure.
What Types of Rabid Animals are the Most Common?
It is possible for any mammal, including humans, to become infected with the rabies virus and develop dangerous symptoms. Infected animals that pose the greatest threat of transmission to humans are bats, monkeys, raccoons, foxes, skunks, cattle, dogs, and cats. If one of these animals finds its way into your home or onto your property, it is important to hire professional animal removal.
In Need of Animal Control? We Can Help!
Call Shumaker’s Animal Control today! Shumaker’s Animal Control is a twenty-five-year veteran of the animal and pest control profession. We are the Kingsville rodent control experts and can help you return your house to a cozy pest-free home. If you have any questions about fox removal or other rodent control, contact Shumaker’s Animal Control by calling (443) 854-8072 or click here today!
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