Rabies is caused due to animal bites, which often leads to a viral infection that affects the brain and the spinal cord. It is important familiarize yourself with the animals that carry rabies such as cats, dogs, bats, raccoons, foxes, woodchucks and skunks. Rodents such as squirrels, rats, mice, chipmunks, hares and rabbits do not carry rabies, therefore, you will not get infected if you get bitten by these animals, unless you notice any skin changes such as pus, drainage, red streaks or other signs of infections, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Important Disclaimer: this post on first aid for rabies is for learning purposes only. To learn to manage cuts, puncture wounds and other injuries enrol in workplace approved first aid and CPR training. 
Causes of rabies
Rabies occurs due to the infection caused by the rabies virus, not the animal bite itself. If an animal carries a rabies virus, it will transfer it to the victim it bites. 5% of the people who get bitten by animals suffer from rabies later.
Animals that commonly carry the rabies virus include:
- Cats
- Dogs
- Bats
- Skunks
- Raccoons
- Foxes
- Woodchucks
Animals that do not carry rabies are as follows:
- Rats
- Mice
- Squirrels
- Chipmunks
- Rabbits
- Hare
Signs and symptoms of rabies
The initial signs and symptoms of rabies include the following:
- Cough
- Anxiety and distress
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Tingling in the puncture wound caused due to the bite
- Pain in the puncture wound or affected area
- Loss of sensation around the affected region or bite
- Sore throat
- Behavioral changes such as irritability
Signs and symptoms that may occur later as the infection worsens include the following:
- Increased seniti to light/sunlight
- Increased sensitivity to touch and sound
- Severe and painful muscle spasms
- Fear of water
- Drooling
- Profuse sweating
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficult speaking
- Weakness of the extremities — bilateral arm weakness and/or bilateral leg weakness
- Trismus – inability to open to mouth completely
- Unilateral facial weakness – drooping
- Confusion
- Visual hallucinations — seeing things that aren’t there in reality
- Auditory hallucinations – hearing sounds and voices of people who are not around
- Convulsions
- Loss of consciousness
- Coma
Warning signs
See your doctor immediately if you get bitten by a:
- Bat
- Fox
- Unvaccinated/stray cat or unvaccinated/stray dog
- Raccoon
- Skunk
- Woodchuck
Treatment
Seek medical help immediately and follow these steps until help arrives:
1. Control bleeding
- Apply pressure with a clean cloth or sterile gauze for several minutes without removing the cloth
2. Clean the bite wound
- Wash the wound thoroughly with clean water and mild soap for about 15 minutes
3. Note down all the information you know about the animal
- This will be useful when you notify your doctor about what animal bit you and where it lives
- In case the animal is an unvaccinated pet, let the pet’s owner know and request for his contact information
4. See your doctor immediately
- Do not wait until the symptoms begin to appear
- If you were in an enclosed room or any other area where an animal such as a bat was around, you may not know about the bite. See your doctor immediately for a physical examination and diagnosis
- Notify your doctor about any useful information you know about the animal
Learn More
To learn more about bites and how to handle wounds sign up for a workplace approved first aid course (register here).
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