How can you tell that a dog bite has caused rabies?

Dog bites can cause serious injury to California residents. Sadly, sometimes, an animal might carry rabies. These are the signs that a bite has caused the disease.

What is rabies?

Rabies is one of the most highly contagious viruses. It is also a disease that almost always leads to death after symptoms begin to show. If signs begin to manifest, prompt treatment is essential as it could possibly save a life.

What are the symptoms of rabies?

Once the symptoms of rabies begin to appear, they can closely mimic those of the flu. Most don’t begin to appear immediately as the disease can remain dormant over one to three months, the incubation period. However, the further the disease progresses, the more serious the signs and symptoms become. More begin to appear that are much different and scarier. The following are the signs that a dog bite might have caused rabies:

• Headache
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting
• Anxiety
• Agitation
• Confusion
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hyperactivity
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hallucinations
• Insomnia
• Partial paralysis

If a person experiences these symptoms of rabies, they might experience others that are even worse over a period of time. With rabies that is far gone, a person could then experience coma, lung failure, heart failure and death.

What should you do if you were bitten?

If you suffered dog bites and don’t know whether or not the dog is infected with rabies, you should still get immediate medical care. Your injuries can be treated and you can get a rabies shot as a precaution against potential infection. The vaccine can stop the infection if you get it immediately. You will get four more shots for the following two weeks.

If the dog that bit you is someone’s pet, you should hold the owner liable for your injuries.