Dogs and rabies?

[Kakero]

How can you tell a dog has rabies or not? Can a dog that in it's history that don't have rabies be infected with this disease?

One of my dogs have some sort of saliva stuff sticking and hanging out from it's mouth. It's white coloured. I noticed it when my dog returned after it went outside to some neighbour house.

[VulcanRider]

From this wikipedia article:

Any mammal may become infected with the rabies virus and develop symptoms, including humans. Most animals can be infected by the virus and can transmit the disease to humans. Infected bats, monkeys, raccoons, foxes, skunks, cattle, wolves, dogs or cats provide the greatest risk to humans. Rabies may also spread through exposure to infected domestic farm animals, groundhogs, weasels and other wild carnivores. Rodents (mice, squirrels etc) are seldom infected. The virus is usually present in the nerves and saliva of a symptomatic rabid animal.[4][5] The route of infection is usually, but not necessarily, by a bite. In many cases the infected animal is exceptionally aggressive, may attack without provocation, and exhibits otherwise uncharacteristic behaviour[5]. Transmission may also occur via an aerosol through mucous membranes; transmission in this form may have happened in people exploring caves populated by rabid bats. The single case of aerosol transmission to people exploring a bat cave has essentially been disproven.[citation needed] As most bats have such small teeth that their bites can barely be felt (may feel like a small prick or bug bite); it is more likely that these people were bitten by a bat unbeknownst to them and contracted rabies in that manner[citation needed].

Take the dog to a veterinarian. Even if it's not rabies other problems (eating something poisonous?) could make it salivate like that. Better safe than sorry...

[Kakero]

I was looking for someone who had a first hand experience in this sort of things.

There are so many stories about dogs and rabies but no one out there had even encounter one.

[Rikard T'Aranaxz]

i encountered one in Cujo. Does that count?

Either way kakero, if the white saliva is still there I would just recommend going to the vet. Chances are he has a much better idea whats bothering your dog then some guys on an RPG forum.

[pritchke]

Agreed, and he most likely would not start foaming at the mouth in less than a day. I am no expert but all symptoms don't appear instantaneously, it is most likely something else. Take him to the vet right away poison or something he ate could be causing this.

[SpiritWarrior]

I know it sounds odd but he probably tried to eat a frog. Mine do it alot, and since frogs release that toxin to deter predators, it makes them froth at the mouth for about 2-3 hours and on/off for about a day. They won't attack one again after that.

[Kakero]

Several days now and nothing happens. Probably just a drool.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

Better kill it, cook it and eat up quick!

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally Posted by Kakero Several days now and nothing happens. Probably just a drool.

Well if it was foaming at the mouth and panting a bit it was probably a bit more. Most likely a frog since you said it went outside. Happens alot here.

Example

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...5183814AAwhJa3