why is it that after a rabid dog bites you, it dies?

Answer 1

It doesn't die because it bit you, it dies because it has rabies, which is fatal to dogs. If a dog is determined to be rabid, it will be euthanized (whether it's bitten someone or not) because rabies is invariably fatal, extremely painful, and having a rabid animal around creates the potential for the disease to spread to other animals or humans. Rabies is caused by a virus that attacks the central nervous system. In dogs, it causes deterioration of brain function, and eventual death. Although the only way to confirm rabies in an animal is an autopsy of the brain, a dog will show symptoms within ten days of biting someone if he had rabies in his saliva at the time of the bite, and treatment in humans is effective up to 14 days after exposure, so they can quarantine the dog and watch for rabies symptoms rather than killing him or vaccinating the person unnecessarily. (Rabies symptoms in dogs can take up to six months to show up after infection, but the virus is only present in the saliva up to ten days before the onset of symptoms, and it can't be transmitted through a bite unless it's in the saliva).

This isn't entirely relevant, but one of the other answers mentioned that there's a cure for rabies for humans. That's not actually true. Rabies shots are actually a vaccine, but they are effective for 14 after exposure to the rabies virus, before the onset of symptoms. Because the vaccine only lasts a few years, is extremely painful, and rabies exposure is quite rare, it's only given to people who have been exposed to the virus. For animals, it's more difficult to monitor exposure to rabies, and the vaccine is less painful, so the vaccine is given routinely. But for both humans and animals it's a vaccine, NOT a cure. Once symptoms set in, the only treatment is supportive care, and the disease is almost invariably fatal to humans (there was one case of someone surviving without vaccination, and another five with partially failed vaccinations, and all six faced considerable brain damage afterwords).

Answer 2

A rabid dog is infected with the rabies virus. The virus is transmitted via saliva, hence the infected canine was probably bitten by another infected animal. An infected canine will eventually die, regardless of whether or not it bites a human within 10 days, more or less. You see, the rabies virus attacks the brain, destroys brain cells, which causes it to become rabid and ultimately causes death.

The virus can be transmitted to other warm blooded animals, including humans via dog bite too That's why if a person is bitten by a dog, it is extremely important to have the dog tested for rabies. If you have been bitten by a dog, immediately go the doctor so he can immediately inject you with rabies vaccine shots.

Answer 3

Rabies is fatal to dogs, there is no cure for it for them. I am glad there is for humans, as that would be so sad for the many people who are bit and need those shots - better a series of painful shots than dying of rabies. That is why all dogs (and a number of other types of pets) are supposed to have their rabies shots up to date.

p.s. - they do not put it down to see if it has rabies... they quarantine it for 10 days, and if it does have rabies the signs will come out - then it is put down if positive for rabies. Also, dogs are not "carriers". They don't have rabies germs naturally. They are infected through another mammal who has contracted it, and then the dog goes through the progression of the disease and dies.

Answer 4

<>Any animal or person who has rabies and goes untreated will die. Rabies is a 100% fatal disease. Animals that bite other domesticated animals and humans and are suspected of having rabies are destroyed because the only way to diagnose rabies is to analyze brain tissue that is essential for life (this holds true for humans as well...that's why the only choice is to treat humans for rabies if suspected, it can't be diagnosed in the patient).

Answer 5

it does not die immediately after biting you. It dies from the natural progression of the disease even if no-one is bitten.

Answer 6

It doesn't. It dies of rabies eventually whether it bites you or not.

Answer 7

the disease is already having its way with the dog whether or not it bites.

Answer 8

because after animal control catches the dog, they have to put it down (ie kill it) to prove that it was rabid.

Answer 9

My daughter just got attacked and they wanted to quarentine it and they told me if they thought it had it they would cut its head shoulders up off and check its brain. Scary stuff

Answer 10

that dog carries a disease, the bite transfers those germs to a human, human starts to fear water thus Hyrophobia is explained