- American authorities have tightened rules for dogs entering the country in an effort to prevent the spread of this fatal virus
It is important that all dogs receive a rabies vaccination. Photo: ShutterstockAccording to new government rules published last month, all dogs coming into the US from other countries must be at least six months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies.
The new rules require vaccination for dogs that have been in countries where rabies is common. The update applies to canines brought in by breeders or rescue groups and pets travelling with their US owners.
“This new regulation is going to address the current challenges that we’re facing,” said Emily Pieracci, a rabies expert at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who was involved in drafting the updated regulations.
The new rules take effect on August 1, when a temporary 2021 order expires. That order suspended bringing in dogs from more than 100 countries where rabies is still a problem.
The new rules require all dogs entering the US to have a microchip placed under their skin with a code that can be used to verify rabies vaccination; they must also have completed a new CDC import form.
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Additional restrictions and requirements may apply based on where the dog was in the previous six months, including blood testing from CDC-approved labs.
Pieracci said much has changed since the CDC last updated its regulations in 1956. More people travel internationally with their pets, and more rescue groups and breeders have set up overseas operations to meet the demand for pets, she said. Now, about 1 million dogs enter the US each year.
Dogs were once common carriers of the rabies virus in the US, but the type that usually circulates in dogs was eliminated through vaccinations in the 1970s. The virus invades the central nervous system (see graphic).
It is usually a fatal disease in animals and humans and is most commonly spread through a bite from an infected animal. There is no cure for rabies once symptoms begin.
Four rabid dogs have been identified entering the US since 2015, and officials worry more might get through.
CDC officials were also seeing an increase in incomplete or fraudulent rabies vaccination certificates. More puppies have been denied entry into the country because they weren’t old enough to be fully vaccinated.
Angela Passman, owner of a company in Dallas, Texas that helps people move their pets internationally, supports the new rules, even though they can be especially tricky for families that buy or adopt a dog while overseas and try to bring it to the US.
Some, however, believe the changes are unwarranted and costly. Jennifer Skiff works for Animal Wellness Action, a Washington group focused on preventing animal cruelty that helps organisations import animals. She said those groups work with diplomats and military personnel who have had trouble meeting requirements, which is why some owners were forced to leave their dogs behind.
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What are the symptoms of someone infected with rabies?
At first, rabies can feel a lot like the flu. It usually takes between two and eight weeks to show symptoms. This tends to be shorter for children and people exposed to a lot of the rabies virus.
Later signs and symptoms of rabies are far more severe. These may include fever, headache, nausea, being very active, or being unable to stay still. A person may also be afraid of drinking water because of difficulty swallowing and fear wind blowing on their face. They might also drool a lot and experience hallucinations and paralysis in parts of the body.
The progression of these symptoms underscores the importance of early detection and treatment.
Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease nearly always results in death. For this reason, anyone with a chance of getting rabies should receive vaccinations.
Are dogs the only animals that transmit the virus?
Other animals that can transmit rabies include bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks.