Hunting Dog illnesses and Accidents

Rabies:There are few countries free of this viral sickness that is fatal for canines and transmittable to humans. Infected feral animal bites are the leading causes of infection. All canines must be vaccinated against this killer. If you suspect that your dog has been bitten by a wild animal or even another dog that had rabies symptoms you should seek immediate veterinarian assistance. If your dog's temperature rises sharply and/or he begins excessively salivating you should also seek immediate medical assistance. When traveling it is usually necessary to show all the records of your dog's vaccinations and especially if you travel to a country considered free of rabies. If you try to enter a country that is free of rabies you will most likely have to put your dog into a forced quarantine that can last for months and is outrageously expensive. The transmission of the disease almost always occurs as a result of an infected animal biting a non-infected animal. There have been a few reported cases of infection resulting from aerosolization occurring in caves where large quantities of infected bats reside. Rabies virus does not live very long outside the host and remains viable in the carcass of an infected animal for less than 24 hours. The rabies virus is shed at high levels in saliva. However, being bitten by a rabid animal does not necessarily mean that the animal will become infected. It has been speculated, that only around 15% of exposed people will contract the disease. Humans, dogs, and cats are only mildly susceptible to the disease unlike skunks, raccoons, foxes, and bats that are much more susceptible to the virus. After coming in contact with the virus, the bitten animal may go through one or all of several stages. If the bitten animal is a skunk it may not show any symptoms at all but could become a lifelong carrier. With most animals, however, the virus will spread through the nerves of the bitten animal towards the brain.