Rabies is a viral disease that infects mammals.  The virus can be transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected animal.  It can also be transmitted if saliva from an infected animal, regardless of whether the animal is alive or dead, gets into an open wound or into the eyes, nose or mouth. Rabies cannot be transmitted from the blood, urine or faeces of a rabid animal, or from just touching or petting an animal. Once transmitted, without immediate treatment, it invades the central nervous system and causes inflammation of the brain and eventually death.

The rabies virus can be found all over the world with the exception of England, Ireland, Japan, Taiwan, Spain, Portugal, and a few Caribbean islands. In the United States, Western Europe, Canada, and some of Latin America, rabies has been almost eliminated from domestic dogs, but is still active in the wildlife population.

In Spain pet owners are required to have their pets vaccinated against rabies each year. There is also a blood test available that will confirm the presence of sufficient levels of the rabies vaccine should the owner require it. This test is only necessary in the event that the animal will be moved to another country. The blood sample is taken one month after the vaccination and is sent off for analysis; the results can take 2-3 weeks to arrive. Once sufficient levels of the vaccine have been confirmed pet owners must wait 6 calendar months before transporting the animal.

What are the symptoms of rabies in animals?

Restlessness, nervousness, developing viciousness initially towards strangers and then towards people they are familiar with, frothing at the mouth or drooling excessively. The animal may start to wander far and snap at anything it comes across and may even bite itself. The animal will become oblivious to pain and paralysis of the vocal chords may follow giving rise to unusually hoarse howls.

For domestic animals that become affected the disease is always fatal. If an animal tests positive for rabies it will be euthanised immediately.

What are the symptoms of rabies in humans?

The rabies virus attacks the nervous system (brain and spinal cord). The first symptoms of rabies are similar to a flu-like illness: fever, headache, and general discomfort. Within days, the disease can progress to symptoms such as anxiety, confusion, agitation, abnormal behaviour, delirium, and hallucinations. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal. Therefore, any person who has been bitten, scratched, or somehow exposed to the saliva of a potentially rabid animal should see a physician as soon as possible for post-exposure treatment. The sooner this is administered the greater likelihood is of preventing the full blown disease occurring.

How serious is rabies?

Rabies is an extremely painful and deadly disease. As mentioned before, if prompt and appropriate post-exposure treatment is not received, the disease is fatal. Exposure to rabid dogs is the cause of over 90% of human rabies cases and over 99% of human deaths from rabies worldwide. Each year approximately 50,000 people around the world die from contracting rabies; however, deaths from rabies in developed countries are thankfully rare because of the wide availability of the rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin.

How is rabies diagnosed?

Rabies can be very difficult to diagnose. Laboratory tests can find rabies virus in the saliva, skin, or brain tissue of a patient; unfortunately, this is only possible during the latter stages of the disease when it is too late for effective treatment. Therefore, doctors will most likely make a diagnosis based on the available details of contact with a potentially infected animal and the likelihood of rabies infection in that species in that particular geographical location. Diagnosis is naturally made easier if the animal involved is available for testing.

Where is rabies most prevalent?

Due to stricter rabies control measures, including widespread vaccination programmes and tight control over the movement of animals, domestic pets in the US, Japan, the UK and much of Western Europe are at less risk of contracting the virus, and indeed, there are countries where rabies has been considered to be completely eliminated. However, rabies remains a big problem in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.

The following is a list of areas that are considered to pose no risk of rabies, i.e. they are free of terrestrial rabies.

Thankfully, the likelihood of coming into contact with rabies in Spain is minimal. However, if you do get bitten by an unfamiliar animal, the best advice is to wash the wound vigorously with soap and water and seek medical assistance.