Regarding Rabies

[alphatyson]

Hey guys,

I'm pretty new to the world of GSDs and dogs in general. I have a 12 week old puppy and hes been biting me a lot, in fact hes made me bleed plenty of times. After reading about rabies I'm getting a bit paranoid that he could have them and could infect me since he draws blood so often.

I've read several posts about the landsharking phase and it seems that everyone has been bitten to the point of bleeding at one point or another, and was wondering if this has ever been a concern for anyone (rabies, not the biting). He still hasn't had his rabies shot yet.

I know I might be a little paranoid but any input would help. Again, this post is not really about his landsharking but the possibility that he could have rabies!

[Razzle J.Dazzle]

I haven't thought twice about it and Razz is 18 weeks with no rabies shot yet (waiting one more week). The Center for Disease Control writes:

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

I'd say you are probably safe unless your 12 week old puppy has been brawling with raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes

[WhiteWolfBeauty]

I never worried about rabies. I think the symptoms are pretty obvious anyways aren't they?

Like Razzle said, unless your dog is fighting wildlife I don't see why you should be concerned.

[alphatyson]

Thanks a lot guys, I certainly feel a lot better

[zyppi]

Nah, you just have a GSD puppy.

You do, however, need to read up about bite inhibition.

[selzer]

I don't think there has been a case of canine rabies anywhere in the US for quite a while, save for a couple of puppies brought in by shelters from Mexico or Puerto Rico a few years ago. It is rare, very rare. And puppies bite, hard. I would not worry about it, unless the pup starts showing outward signs of rabies.

[TaraM1285]

I agree with the other posters, it is quite unlikely that your puppy has rabies. It sounds like typical GSD puppy behavior.

Originally Posted by selzer

I don't think there has been a case of canine rabies anywhere in the US for quite a while, save for a couple of puppies brought in by shelters from Mexico or Puerto Rico a few years ago. It is rare, very rare. And puppies bite, hard. I would not worry about it, unless the pup starts showing outward signs of rabies.

Actually, according to the CDC, 60 dogs were diagnosed with rabies in the US last year (not including Puerto Rico).

JAVMA Rabies Article
CDC - 2010 Surveillance: Rabid Cats and Dogs Reported in the United States during 2010 - Rabies

[selzer]

I guess I was going with this article: CDC In the News - US Declared Canine-Rabies Free

But it does say that dogs and humans can still get the disease from wildlife. And thus they drop these raccoon baits all over the place.

In our neighborhood, they usually have a few raccoons, a skunk or two, a bat, and maybe a squirrel with the disease.

[Barb E]

Here there is a PDF document that gives the numbers by state
CDC - Rabies Surveillance in the U.S.: Domestic Animals - Rabies

Interesting - Oregon had one case of Rabies in a domestic animal in 2010.....under Goats/sheep!

[JulieBays]

Originally Posted by alphatyson

Hey guys,

I'm pretty new to the world of GSDs and dogs in general. I have a 12 week old puppy and hes been biting me a lot, in fact hes made me bleed plenty of times. After reading about rabies I'm getting a bit paranoid that he could have them and could infect me since he draws blood so often.

I've read several posts about the landsharking phase and it seems that everyone has been bitten to the point of bleeding at one point or another, and was wondering if this has ever been a concern for anyone (rabies, not the biting). He still hasn't had his rabies shot yet.

I know I might be a little paranoid but any input would help. Again, this post is not really about his landsharking but the possibility that he could have rabies!

Just to let you know, my arms looked like meatloaf for a while. It was the sharp puppy teeth and landshark phase. I am a professional and had to wear long sleeves during the summer so people didn't see the cuts/scars/bites... It was awful!! I can tell you that my Sasha is 6 months old. I have NO bites on me or bleeding sores any longer. Is she still mouthy sometimes? Yes, she is. She is still learning. Does she temper her bite? Yes. Do her teeth cut me? NOPE. Are her jaws very strong? Heck, she could probably break my arm and crush the bone and tear the skin at 6 months...if she wanted to. She doesn't want to and she is still learning that I am fragile. So, your baby pup is just being a baby pup. It is sort of frightening to understand that a 12 week old baby can tear you apart. It's true. But, Sasha at 12 weeks, I could still pick up and toss around if I had to. Sasha at 6 months. Not so much. You have to have faith in your leadership and love for your dog. And no, your dog doesn't have rabies. He just has the zoomies.