Pompton Lakes Animal Hospital
  • 3946 Hood Avenue, San Diego, California 92123

Canine Rabies

Canine Rabies Vaccines in Westwood and Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Letting our furry friends out to play allows them to explore nature and all the excitement it has to offer. However, this allows them to encounter other animals, which can lead to serious infections. Canine rabies is one infection that can put your pet’s life at risk, which is why vaccinating them against it is essential. Westwood Regional Veterinary Hospital and Pompton Lakes Animal Hospital, located in Westwood and Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, and serving the Tri-State area, provides dependable preventative care options like canine rabies vaccines. Learn more about the condition and the accompanying vaccine.

Blood test vial with rabies sticker and empty vials

What Is Canine Rabies?

There are many viruses that can cause problems for our canine companions, but rabies is among the worst. This is because it is highly contagious and cannot be cured. The condition affects the brain and spinal cord, and can infect humans, dogs, cats, and all other mammals. While rabies is life-threatening, it can be prevented.

Rabies is transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. This mostly happens when an infected animal bites another animal or human and breaks the skin, allowing the virus to get into the bloodstream. Those with open wounds can also contract the virus if one of these wounds is licked or otherwise comes in contact with the saliva of an infected animal.

Some of the signs and symptoms of canine rabies include:

  • Aggressive or abnormal behavior
  • Restlessness
  • Foaming at the mouth or excessive drooling or salivation
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Vomiting
  • Fever
  • Seizures
  • Showing weakness or lethargy
  • Ataxia or poor muscle control
  • Paralysis
  • Self-mutilation

Because the virus can progress rapidly, early signs like restlessness and irritability may soon turn into foaming at the mouth or an excess of saliva. As rabies reaches its final stages and cerebral and cranial nerve functions are reduced, dogs may lose control of their muscles, leading to paralysis and the inability to breathe, which results in death.

What Can I Do to Prevent an Infection?

The most important thing anyone can do for themselves and their pets is to stay up to date with vaccines. Rabies vaccines are required for dogs in New Jersey and most other U.S. states. Canine rabies shots can be given by the trusted veterinarians at Westwood Regional Veterinary Hospital and Pompton Lakes Animal Hospital, allowing pet parents to feel comfortable letting their furry friends go out and explore. The initial vaccination should come shortly after your dog is 12 weeks old, and it takes 28 days for it to take full effect. After this first vaccination, dogs should receive a booster after a year, and then additional vaccinations every one to three years.

Keeping up with your pet’s vaccinations is important not only because it is the best way to protect against the virus, but also because it offers proof that they themselves aren’t infected. Should your dog bite a person or another animal, you’ll be confident that they could not have transmitted rabies, avoiding potential complications, including having them quarantined or even euthanized.

Aside from these shots, which are the best defense against contracting the virus, another simple way to protect your pet is to keep them away from potential threats. This means isolating them from potentially rabid animals or outright avoiding contact with wild animals. Walking them on a leash can help ensure that they don’t wander off and encounter a rabid animal.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Canine Rabies

The rabies virus cannot be cured in dogs and other animals. Once symptoms have appeared in humans, it cannot be cured either. Unfortunately, the only way to truly diagnose rabies in dogs is through a biopsy of the tissue in the brain, which can only be performed after death. However, if your dog has encountered a wild animal and you fear saliva may have entered its bloodstream, you should bring them to the veterinarian’s office immediately. They may be able to receive a booster of the vaccination that could help reduce their risk of contracting the virus.

One important thing to remember is that a rabid animal may infect humans or other pets, so if you believe your dog may have contracted the virus, you’ll want to isolate them and make sure their saliva doesn’t get into your bloodstream just in case.

Turn to Our Team for Rabies Vaccinations

If you’re looking for protection against canine rabies, bring your dog into Westwood Regional Veterinary Hospital and Pompton Lakes Animal Hospital. Located in Westwood and Pompton Lakes, NJ, and serving the Tri-State area, our caring team will treat your pets like they were our own.

We provide a wide range of services, including diagnostic, preventative, rehabilitation, and surgical care. Our emergency care services can help your pup when they need it most. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a canine rabies vaccine or to ask any questions.

Service Available At:

Westwood

  • 346 Kinderkamack Rd.
    Westwood, NJ 07675
  • 201-885-5040
  • Monday to Sunday: 9 AM to 10 PM

Pompton

  • 9 Cannonball Rd. Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442
  • 973-835-4774
  • Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri: 11 AM – 8 PM
    Wed, Sat: 10 AM – 3 PM
    Sunday: Closed