What should you know about rabies treatment for dogs?

Rabies is a serious infection affecting the nervous system. A dog with concerning behaviour or neurological signs cannot be safely assessed at home, and treatment decisions require a veterinarian and relevant authorities. Signs may include unusual aggression or fear, marked restlessness, difficulty swallowing, excessive drooling, weakness, seizures, or paralysis, but these signs have other possible causes. Do not approach, restrain, feed, or medicate a suspected animal yourself.

Move people and other animals away without handling the dog. Contact a veterinarian or local animal-control service and describe the exposure, the dog’s location, vaccination history if known, and any change in behaviour. Anyone bitten or scratched should wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water and obtain urgent medical advice. Keep the dog’s records available, but do not delay care while searching for them.

Seek urgent assessment after a bite, scratch, or saliva contact with broken skin, the eyes, or the mouth from a dog whose vaccination status is unknown or whose behaviour is abnormal. Go promptly for deep wounds, injuries to the face or hand, heavy bleeding, or increasing redness, swelling, discharge, pain, or fever. Rabies prevention should be considered before symptoms begin; waiting for the dog to become visibly ill can be dangerous.

Ask whether the exposure qualifies for post-exposure prevention, which wound care is needed, whether tetanus protection should be checked, and how to report or document the dog contact.