How Do Animals Get Rabies?

Rabies is a serious nervous system infection and can causes serious illness, even death in your pet if not treated early. The best defense is to make sure your pet is vaccinated against rabies. An animal becomes infected by a bite of another animal that has rabies. The rabies virus lives in the saliva of the infected animal, so when the infected animal bites another animal, it can transmit the virus.

Where the Rabies Virus Began

Rabies was first identified more than 3,000 years ago. Today it is found in every corner of the world but Australia. Since the virus has had time to grow and basically perfect itself over the years, rabies that once was possibly not deadly now is if not treated early. Interestingly, the host animal carries the virus in its saliva and the virus leaves the host animal when it bites another animal. The bitten animal is injected with the virus via the saliva. 

How it is Treated

If the animal that is bitten and is treated it can recover, but only if it is treated early. If left untreated, the animal will ultimately succumb to the rabies and die. Therefore, the best defense against rabies for animals is receiving the vaccination to protect them.

What Animals can Contract Rabies and Which do Not

Rabies can be found in dogs, cats, bats, skunks, foxes, raccoons, deer, and even woodchucks. In addition, livestock can also carry rabies and be infected with the virus. Animals that hardly ever contract rabies include guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, chipmunks, rabbit, mice, and rats. Animals that never get rabies are insects, birds, fish, snakes, and turtles.