09/12/2025
🦠 RABIES AWARENESS: KNOW THE TWO FORMS 🐶
Rabies doesn’t always look the same and knowing the difference can save lives.
1️⃣ Furious Rabies
This is the classic image most people know:
• Aggression
• Restlessness
• Excessive drooling
• Attempting to bite
2️⃣ Paralytic or “Dumb” Rabies
Often missed because it looks calmer:
• Weakness or paralysis
• Dropped jaw
• Quiet, depressed behavior
• Difficulty swallowing
👉 Both forms are deadly.
👉 Any animal bite or scratch should be treated as a potential rabies exposure.
👉 Always seek medical care immediately.
Protect yourself. Protect your pets. Vaccinate and stay aware. 🐾
The Two Clinical Forms of Rabies You Should Know
When people think of rabies, they usually imagine an aggressive, foaming-at-the-mouth dog or cat. But rabies doesn’t always look like this. In fact, there are two clinical forms of rabies, and both are equally deadly.
Understanding the difference can help save lives.
🔴 Furious Rabies (the “common” image of rabies) -
This is the type most people are familiar with.
Animals with furious rabies may show:
- Sudden aggression
- Restlessness or roaming
- Excessive salivation
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Unprovoked biting or scratching of people, animals, or objects
They appear extremely agitated, which is why it’s called furious rabies. This form eventually progresses to paralysis and death.
🔴 Paralytic or “Dumb” Rabies (often overlooked) - This form is quieter and more subtle, many people don’t recognize it as rabies.
Animals with dumb rabies may show:
- Weakness, stumbling, or wobbly movement
- Dropped jaw or difficulty swallowing
- Excessive drooling
- Quiet, calm, or unusually withdrawn behavior
- Progressive paralysis leading to coma
Because animals with dumb rabies are not aggressive, people often mistake this for a simple illness or injury.
But it is still rabies, and it is equally transmissible and deadly.
Remember:
Aggression is not required for rabies transmission. Saliva exposure alone is enough.
Many cases of human exposure happen because people don’t realize rabies can appear “silent.” Recognizing both forms helps communities respond faster and protect themselves.
Protect Your Pets and Your Family.
- Vaccinate your dogs and cats yearly
- Avoid handling animals showing neurological signs
- Seek immediate medical care if exposed
- Pre-exposure shots are recommended for:
• Animal rescuers and shelter workers
• Volunteers doing stray feeding rounds
• People who handle strays/animals regularly
• Children who frequently play with animals
• Individuals living in rabies-endemic communities
• Veterinarians and vet assistants
Rabies is 100% fatal — but 100% preventable
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Ang Dalawang Uri ng Rabies na Dapat Mong Malaman.
Kapag iniisip ng tao ang rabies, kadalasan ang naiisip ay isang a*o o pusang agresibo, at bumubula ng laway ang bibig. Pero hindi laging ganito ang itsura ng rabies. May dalawang klinikal na anyo ang rabies, at pareho silang nakamamatay.
Ang pag-unawa sa pagkakaiba nila ay maaaring makapagligtas ng buhay.
🔴 Furious Rabies (ang “karaniwang” anyo ng rabies) - Ito ang uri na pamilyar sa karamihan.
Maaaring magpakita ang hayop ng:
- Biglaang pagka agresibo
- Hindi mapakali
- Labis na paglalaway
- Sensitibo sa ilaw at ingay
- Pagkagat o pag kalmot nang walang dahilan sa tao, hayop, o bagay
Sobrang balisa at agresibo ang mga hayop na may furious rabies, kaya ito ang tawag dito.
Kalaunan, nauuwi ito sa pagkaparalisa at kamatayan.
🔴 Paralytic o “Dumb” Rabies (madalas hindi napapansin) - Dahil hindi agresibo ang mga hayop na may dumb rabies, madalas napagkakamalan itong simpleng karamdaman o injury.
Maaaring magpakita ang hayop ng:
- Panghihina, pagkatumba, o hindi matatag na paglakad
- Nakalaylay na panga o hirap lumunok
- Labis na paglalaway
- Tahimik, kalmado, o labis na pag-withdraw na ugali
- Unti-unting pagkaparalisa hanggang sa coma at pagkamatay.
Tandaan:
Hindi kailangan maging agresibo ang hayop para makahawa ng rabies. Sapat na ang exposure sa laway.
Maraming ka*o ng pagkahawa ng tao ang nangyayari dahil hindi alam ng mga tao na puwedeng tahimik ang rabies. Ang pagkilala sa dalawang anyo nito ay nakatutulong upang mas mabilis makapag-ingat ang komunidad.
Protektahan ang Iyong Alaga at Pamilya
- Pabakunahan ang a*o at pusa taon-taon
- Iwasang hawakan ang mga hayop na may kakaibang kilos o neurologic na sintomas
- Magpagamot agad kung na-expose
Inirerekomenda ang pre-exposure shots para sa:
• Mga rescuer at shelter workers
• Volunteers sa stray feeding rounds
• Mga taong madalas humawak ng stray animals
• Mga batang madalas nakikipaglaro sa hayop
• Mga nakatira sa rabies-endemic na lugar
Ang rabies ay 100% nakamamatay, pero 100% na maiiwasan.
