Rabies kills approximately 20,000 people in India every year. Almost all of those deaths came from unvaccinated or under-vaccinated dogs. The disease is 100% preventable with a vaccine that costs Rs 150–400 at most vets.

What Is Rabies

Rabies is a viral infection of the central nervous system caused by the Lyssavirus and transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal - almost always through a bite. Once the virus reaches the brain, it is 100% fatal. There is no treatment. There is only prevention.

How Dogs Get Rabies

In India, the primary reservoir is unvaccinated street dogs. India has an estimated 30 million street dogs, the majority unvaccinated against rabies.

A bite from an infected street dog during a walk or off-leash encounter
Contact with wildlife - jackals, bats, and mongooses are known wildlife reservoirs
Licking of an open wound by an infected animal

Symptoms in Dogs

Stage 1 - Prodromal Phase (2–3 days)

Sudden, unexplained behaviour change
Fever
Excessive licking or biting at the bite wound site
Apparent depression or restlessness

Stage 2 - Furious (Excitative) Phase (1–7 days)

Aggression - unprovoked biting and snapping
Disorientation, restlessness, pacing
Excessive barking or howling
Foaming at the mouth

Stage 3 - Paralytic (Dumb) Phase (2–4 days)

Progressive paralysis
Jaw drops open (cannot close mouth)
Inability to swallow or drink
Seizures
Death from respiratory failure

There is no cure at Stage 2 or 3.

If Your Dog Is Bitten by a Stray or Unknown Dog

Do not handle the wound with bare hands
Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes
Apply antiseptic
Call your vet immediately - even if your dog is vaccinated against rabies
Report the biting animal to your local municipal authority

If You Are Bitten

Wash the wound with soap and water for 15 minutes immediately
Apply antiseptic
Go to a hospital or clinic the same day
Ask for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) - a series of 5 injections given on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28
PEP is FREE at government hospitals across India

The Vaccination Schedule

First dose: 12 weeks of age
Booster: 1 year after the first dose
Annual: Every year without exception
Cost: Rs 150–400 per injection at private vets; free at government veterinary hospitals

Related: Complete dog vaccination schedule India | Tick fever in dogs India

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Rabies in Dogs - Symptoms, Prevention and Why Vaccination Cannot Wait