It’s a very hot and humid Florida afternoon and Grandma and I are sitting in the shade of our big oak tree having an interesting conversation while Grandma drinks cold lemonade and I’m sitting here watching her.

What Gram and I like to do is find a topic of discussion and then choose it to death. We mostly talk about “dog things”, but occasionally we deviate on other interesting topics. Today we started talking about the bats that fly through our house in the afternoons and that led to a conversation about rabies and this is the result of our conversation.

For humans to prevent exposure to rabies, the first step is to avoid trying to befriend stray dogs and / or wild animals.

The most common rabid bites are known to come from dogs, with bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks in a close second. Since the development of the rabies vaccine, there have been no reports of rabies caused by dog ​​bites in several years within the United States, due to the fact that most states require that both cats and dogs be vaccinated. against rabies, at a young age. However, bats appear to be the main problem creator in most developed countries today.

Very rarely has rabies been contacted without an actual bite. The saliva of an infected animal is believed to transmit the disease through a bite that breaks the skin. It is possible, but extremely rare, for infected saliva or nerve tissue to spread to an open wound or mucous membrane (eyes, nose, mouth).

If you have been bitten or scratched by a wild animal or dog and the animal cannot be safely trapped, immediately call your local animal control authorities. It is important, if possible, to have the animal available for observation and testing, if rabies is suspected.

A test called immunofluorescence is used to examine the brain tissue of the dead animal. The same test is used to examine a human for rabies, using a bit of skin from the neck or they can look for the virus in their saliva or cerebrospinal fluid.

A bite must be washed very well with soap and water and then must be attended by a doctor or a visit to the emergency room, generally the stitches are not used for animal bites. If rabies is suspected, treatment consists of one dose of rabies immune globulin and then five doses of rabies vaccine given on the first day and then on the following days 3, 7, 14, and 28 after exposure.

Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and some of the symptoms are:

– low fever (102 degrees or less)

– stress and anxiety

– loss of sensation in a part of the body

– numbness

– muscle spasms

– difficulty swallowing (which is often called hydrophobia)

Symptoms can take two to eight weeks to appear, and sometimes longer. If no treatment is given for a possible bite, death is possible.

If you are traveling to an underdeveloped country like India, it is suggested that you get vaccinated against rabies. It is an injection of the killed rabies virus that is given in three doses, the first two within a week of each other and the third dose three weeks later.

To protect yourself and your family, avoid contact with wild animals and stray dogs, especially those that behave abnormally,

Well, these are some things I learned about rabies from Gram. I hope it enlightened you like me and I am very happy that dogs have been removed from the “most wanted list” of rabies biters.

Until next time, I’m still your Sadie.