Rabidity in animals

Rabidity in animals

Of the symptoms of rabies infection in animals, hydrophobia, an aversion to water and especially the drinking of water, is a hallmark, and unique, sign.

Excessive salivation is frequently noted.  This is important because it is the saliva of the infected animal that contains the viral particles that must be passed on to a new victim, to turn them.

Nervousness and irritability are often noted; the infected animal exhibiting a posture and expression of alertness and anxiety.  Pupils are dilated; an indication of activation of the ‘fight or flight’ sympathetic nervous system.  

Infected animals are aggressive.  In response to the slightest provocation they may viciously and aggressively use teeth, claws, horns and hooves against animate and inanimate objects.  They may attack inanimate objects, such as the bars of a cage, with no apparent response to pain, to the point that they can break their teeth trying to bite through the bars.

Roaming is a strong characteristic, just walking and running.  Roaming is generally punctuated by multiple attacks on animals encountered.

Hyperactivity (and strong efforts to escape restrictions to movement such as cages), disorientation, and confusion are symptoms, extending to the observation that horses act as if they are blind.  In this confused state, rabid animals approach other animals they would normally avoid, humans for one.  A number of veterinarians report that rabid dogs or wolves commonly smell of skunk, indicating they have foolishly, and uncharacteristically, provoked a skunk.  Another fairly sure sign of rabies infection is a fox or coyote whose snout looks like a pin cushion, full of porcupine quills, indicative of an interaction they would normally avoid.  In addition, normally nocturnal animals, e.g. bats, are found in the open during daylight.

An infected animal will often withdraw from its companions, and go off roaming alone.  However, they may also seek comfort, such as a rabid pet kitten climbing up to lay in its owner’s lap, only to then bite the owner when it is petted.  It is reported that rabid bats emit a distress call resulting in other bats approaching the infected bat to comfort/protect it, only to become bitten themselves.  Whether these distress calls are simply signs of distress or a ruse to turn more victims is not possible to tell.  Either way, the result is that the rabid bat gains access to more victims.

Abnormal reactions to sensory stimuli are part and parcel of rabies infection in animals.  Aerophobia is often noted, denoting a fearful reaction to air movement.  Of particular interest is the common observation of photophobia, the apparent fear and avoidance of bright light.  General hyperesthesia, the fear or overreaction to sensory stimulation, including touch or noise in addition to those mentioned above, is found in most descriptions of rabid animals.  Sudden or annoying noises can provoke attacks by the rabid animal.

Finally, and importantly, priapism and increased libido are common descriptors of rabid animals.  They can be hypersexual in appearance and behavior.