Do You Suspect Your Dog Has Rabies?

Killua, the golden retriever who was tragically killed in Camarines Sur, has been the talk of the internet for over a week now. Here's a brief recap of the story: Killua's owner, Vina Arazas, discovered her dog was missing from their home. She later discovered that local tanod named Anthony Solares had killed Killua, alleging the dog was aggressive.

The incident drew significant attention, with senators condemning the Killua's killing. The circumstances surrounding the incident have been controversial, with reports suggesting that CCTV footage caught the man aggressively pursuing the dog. Later revelations from the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) confirmed that Killua tested positive for rabies.

In a Facebook post, PAWS announced it is taking legal action for a violation of the Anti Rabies Act, or RA 9482, for Solares' alleged involvement in the dog meat trade. The animal rights group stated that after killing Killua, Solares transported the dog to a slaughterhouse known for dog meat preparation.

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The killing of Killua has sparked discussions on animal welfare and protection. Meanwhile, veterinarian Dr. Abel Manalo highlighted another critical issue on his TikTok account — the prevalence and seriousness of rabies cases in the country. The government and the Filipino public, he said, should pay closer attention to this public health concern.

If a dog tests positive for rabies, he's likely to exhibit aggressive behavior, bite, and behave in ways that are out of character, indicating it is not in its normal state of mind.

A dog could become infected with rabies if bitten by other stray dogs or other warm-blooded animals such as cats or rats. "Dadaan muna yung virus ng rabies sa nerves, papanhik sa central nervous system, sa brain tapos sisirain niya ang brain and magre-release na din ng virus ang aso sa bibig," Manalo explained.

The progression of rabies to the animal's brain could span a few days, weeks, or even years. Upon reaching the brain, the dog may exhibit signs of irrational behavior and, typically, succumb to the disease within a maximum timeframe of 14 days.

"Kung may rabies si Killua bago siya ay namatay, ibig sabihin for at least days or weeks may rabies na siya. Maaaring hindi napapansin ng kanyang fur parent or maaaring nag-manifest lang ang signs noong nakawala si Killua," the doctor added.

Consequently, Killua's family could have been at risk of rabies exposure, particularly if they allowed him to lick their faces. This risk arises because the rabies virus can be transmitted through a dog's saliva when it contacts human mucous membranes — such as under the eyes, inside the mouth, or around the genitals or anus — even in the absence of any cuts or skin breaks. He, thus, advised Killua's caregivers to get anti-rabies vaccinations.

"I hope itong kaso ni Killua ay magpayanig lalo sa ating mga senators at sa ating lahat na seryoso ang problema ng Pilipinas pagdating sa rabies. We are still among the top countries in the world with the most number of deaths every year due to rabies," he said. According to this study, 200 to 300 Filipinos die every year due to rabies.

The eradication of rabies in the Philippines was the focus of Manalo's thesis at UP Los Baños back in 2000. His research concluded that the most effective solution for eradicating rabies in the Philippines involves the removal of all stray dogs and cats from the streets, given that 99% of human rabies transmission originates from dogs, predominantly stray ones.

Although Killua was not a stray dog, the risk is significantly higher with street dogs, who are the primary carriers of rabies. "Our anti-rabies campaigns will not be effective as long as we have stray dogs in our surroundings," he maintained.