Dogs, bats, foxes, raccoons, skunks and coyotes are most likely to become infected with rabies. Note that other domesticated animals, other than dogs like cats can become infected with the rabies virus. Horses, cattle, sheep, and goats can become infected via the bite of an infected bat or other wild animal.

Steps
Someone infected with the rabies virus will begin to show signs of the disease within 1-3 months
Early symptoms include:
- Overall weakness, fever, headache (May last for days), nausea, appetite loss, fatigue, muscle pain and discomfort or unusual agitation at the bite wound.
Once the clinical symptoms of the rabies infection appear, survival is unlikely
These symptoms include:
- Brain dysfunction, acute anxiety, mental confusion, extreme agitation, delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations and insomnia.

Hydrophobia
Production of abundant saliva and tears, coupled with an inability to speak or swallow, progressing to difficulty swallowing as the throat and jaw become slowly paralyzed. This leads to panic when presented with liquids to drink, as one cannot quench his or her thirst. Rabies symptoms might occur within a few days to more than a year after infection. The disease is almost always fatal once a person starts showing signs of rabies.
NB: Contact a doctor immediately you are bitten by a wild animal or any animal that may not have been vaccinated against the virus. This is because of the high mortality rate recorded for infected humans.

Tips on avoiding rabies
- Do not handle, feed, or attempt to interact with wild animals, including the very young.
- Never bring a wild animal into your home without vaccinating it.
- If you are bitten, wash the wound immediately with warm, soapy water and see a doctor as soon as possible.
- Avoid touching or coming into contact with stray bats, the most recent causes of rabies in the US were caused by bats, so when you see bats around homes during the day be careful because they may just be carrying the rabies virus.

“No need keeping a dog… if you cannot vaccinate it”,

Dr Eta Collins,MINEPIA Buea

What should livestock farmers and pet keepers do to avoid rabies ?
The idea is to take prophylactic treatment and since it is a viral disease we prescribe vaccination.
Vaccinating the human being or the dogs …?
They should vaccinate the dogs.

How much does it cost to vaccinate a dog in the South West today ?
It’s averagely 2000 to 2500francs. Just six months ago, we were doing it for free with some Americans.
When somebody vaccinates a dog once, is it over ?
No, this is done on annual basis. Conscious farmers or pet owners bring their dogs for routine vaccination.

Advise those who don’t see vaccination of their dogs necessary ?
It’s a dangerous venture keeping a dog or a cat without vaccinating it because rabies can be transmitted between man and animal and the vector from animal to man is dog and cat in Africa. There is no need keeping a dog or a cat if you know that you cannot vaccinate it.

After a dog bite what should be done to avoid rabies ?
About 99% of those who have showed symptoms of rabies have died because rabies does not have any cure. From the onset of clinical symptoms you are gone. If you have been bitten by a dog whether it is vaccinated or not you should report to the veterinary officer.
Where should somebody go to when bitten by a dog, cat…?
It is not necessary for one to go vaccinating when bitten by a dog; the veterinary officer has to see if the dog has rabies and the victim then goes to the hospital for pre exposure treatment.