Rabies in Dogs and Cats: Vaccination, Travel, and Safety

How rabies spreads

The rabies virus is carried in the saliva of an infected animal. It usually passes on through a bite. Less often, it spreads when saliva gets into a fresh scratch, an open wound, or the eyes, nose or mouth. From the wound, the virus moves slowly along the nerves to the brain. It then reaches the salivary glands, and from that point the animal can infect others.

The time between the bite and the first signs is called the incubation period. In dogs and cats it is usually a few weeks to a few months. It can be shorter, and in rare cases it lasts a year or more. During this time the animal looks and acts healthy.

Worldwide, dogs are the main source of human rabies. The World Health Organization reports that dogs are behind up to 99% of human cases. In Europe the situation is better. Most of Western Europe and much of Central Europe is free of rabies in land animals, largely thanks to vaccine baits dropped for wild foxes. The disease is still present in parts of Eastern Europe, such as Ukraine and Romania. In recent years it has also come back in some areas of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. Some European bats carry related viruses. A handful of cats have been infected after catching bats, though experts consider this risk very low.

Signs to watch for

Rabies often starts with a change in personality. A pet may hide more than usual, seem anxious, or snap at a touch it used to enjoy. This early stage is short, often a day to a few days. After that, some animals become excited and aggressive, while others mostly grow weak and paralyzed. Many show a mix of both.

• A sudden change in temperament, such as unusual fear, restlessness or aggression
• Biting or snapping at people, animals or objects for no clear reason
• Heavy drooling or foam at the mouth
• Trouble swallowing, or a lower jaw that hangs open
• A change in the sound of the bark or meow
• Wide, dilated pupils
• Chewing or swallowing things that are not food
• Wobbly walking, then weakness and paralysis

Cats most often show the aggressive form. European cat specialists estimate that about 9 in 10 rabid cats do. Such a cat may lunge at people or other animals with little warning. In both dogs and cats the disease moves fast once signs appear, and most animals die within about 10 days.

Many of these signs have other causes, such as something stuck in the mouth or throat, poisoning or other nerve diseases. A vet is the right person to sort them out.

When it is an emergency

It is best to call your vet the same day if your pet was bitten or scratched by a wild animal or an unknown stray, if it came home from a fight with an animal you did not see, or if it shows sudden behavior changes along with drooling or trouble swallowing. A bat found in the house with your pet, or in your cat's mouth, is also a reason to call.

If you suspect rabies, it is safest to keep your distance. Reaching into the mouth to look for something stuck in the throat can expose you to the virus. If the animal has to be moved, thick gloves or a blanket help, and a crate or a closed room keeps it from biting anyone. Keep children and other pets away. A call to the clinic before you arrive lets the staff prepare.

If a person is bitten or scratched by an animal that could have rabies, the World Health Organization advises washing the wound right away with soap and water for at least 15 minutes, then seeing a doctor the same day, even if the wound looks small. Doctors can give treatment after an exposure, and it works very well when it starts promptly. Waiting for signs is not safe, because once symptoms begin, treatment no longer helps.

How vets diagnose rabies

No test can reliably confirm rabies in a living animal. The diagnosis is made with a lab test on brain tissue after death. Before that, vets judge the risk from the history, the vaccination record and the signs they see.

There is no treatment once signs have started. An animal that very likely has rabies is usually put to sleep, to spare it suffering and to protect people. Rabies is a notifiable disease, so vets report suspected cases to the animal health authorities. The exact steps depend on the country.

After a bite or a fight

When a dog or cat that looks healthy bites a person, it is usually confined and watched, often for 10 days. An animal with rabies virus in its saliva becomes ill within days. So a pet that stays healthy through the watch period was not infectious when it bit. The length of the watch and where the animal stays depend on local rules.

When a pet may have been exposed, for example after a fight with a fox or a stray, the plan depends on its vaccination status. A vaccinated pet usually gets a booster shot soon after the exposure and is watched closely for several weeks. An unvaccinated pet faces much stricter measures, such as a quarantine of several months. In some cases, authorities recommend euthanasia. This is one of the strongest reasons to keep the vaccine current.

Vaccination and travel in Europe

Rabies vaccines for dogs and cats work very well, and serious side effects are rare. Puppies and kittens usually get their first rabies shot at 12 to 16 weeks of age, and a second dose often follows about a year later. After that, boosters are due every one to three years, depending on the vaccine and local law. Your vet can tell you which schedule applies.

For cats, the advice depends on where you live. Where rabies is present, vets recommend the vaccine for every cat that goes outside. In rabies-free areas, a cat needs it for travel, and local law may require it. A cat without a valid vaccine cannot travel with you.

These are the main rules for trips between EU countries with a dog, cat or ferret.

• The animal has a microchip, put in before the rabies shot. A vaccine given before the chip does not count for travel.
• The animal was at least 12 weeks old when it got its first rabies vaccine.
• At least 21 days have passed since the first vaccination.
• The animal has an EU pet passport from an authorized vet, showing the microchip number and the vaccination.
• Boosters are given before the previous vaccine expires. If a booster is late, the next shot counts as a first vaccination, and the 21-day wait starts again.

Pets entering the EU from some non-EU countries also need a blood test that shows enough rabies antibodies. The trip can take place only three months after the blood sample was taken. The list of countries this applies to changes, so it is worth checking the current rules before a trip. Some countries add their own rules, such as a tapeworm treatment for dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway.

These rules cover travel with your own pet. When an adopted animal moves to a new family in another country, the move involves a change of owner and falls under separate animal health paperwork. A microchip and a valid rabies vaccination are still part of it. Your rescue can explain which papers your animal will travel with.

Rabies and newly adopted animals

Street dogs and cats often come with an unknown past. This is one reason vaccination and clear records matter so much for rescued animals. At Paw Squadron, the first stops after every rescue are the vet and a bath. Every animal gets a checkup, treatment, vaccinations and a microchip before adoption.

After your new pet arrives, keep its vaccination papers somewhere safe and bring them to your first visit with your own vet. Note when the next rabies booster is due, and book it early so the vaccine never lapses. A lapsed vaccine can upset travel plans and makes any later bite or exposure harder to manage. In the first weeks, it helps to keep your new pet away from wildlife and unfamiliar animals. If your dog or cat ever bites someone, share the vaccination record with the doctor and your vet, since it shapes the advice they give.

If you have questions about vaccination records or travel papers for an animal you want to adopt, our FAQ is a good place to start, or you can send an adoption inquiry. For anything about your pet's health, your veterinarian is the best person to ask.