Signs and Symptoms of Rabies Onset

1 Prodromal (Early) Stage

In the early stage of rabies, the person becomes restless and develops headaches, along with nausea and vomiting, a rising temperature, fatigue, loss of appetite, and a general lack of energy.

The site of the bite or scratch may become red, itchy, and numb.

There is also a feeling of pressure in the throat, and swallowing gradually becomes difficult and uncomfortable. This stage normally lasts about two days, though in some cases the incubation period can be longer, reaching as much as seven days.

2 Furious (Excitative) Stage

During the furious stage the patient becomes visibly excited and develops a marked fear of water (hydrophobia), with intermittent fits of agitation and drooling. These signs are unique to rabies.

When the patient tries to drink, the throat goes into violent spasm, causing painful difficulty breathing. Later, even seeing water or hearing the sound of it triggers the same reaction, and the symptoms worsen. The pupils dilate. Early on the patient remains conscious, but later they drool, sweat, become frantic, and suffer ongoing dehydration.

3 Paralytic Stage

The paralytic stage can look like a brief rally: the patient becomes quiet, spasms subside, and they may even be able to eat, creating a false impression of recovery. About eighteen hours later, however, neurological paralysis sets in, followed by death.

4 Prevention and What to Do If Bitten

Rabies is a highly dangerous infectious disease, but if you are bitten there is no need to panic — seek medical care promptly and get the rabies vaccine, and you will be fine.

Rabies is essentially incurable, and prevention is the only real strategy. If you are bitten or scratched, get the rabies vaccine without delay, and when necessary receive rabies immune globulin to lower the risk of the disease developing.