They may also be sluggish and act depressed or confused. With the furious form, animals will be excitable, irritable, and act aggressively. These animals may attack suddenly when approached. Animals will normally become comatose prior to death. As the disease progresses, patients may experience mental dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation, delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, convulsions, insomnia, and paralysis.
Death generally occurs one to two weeks after the onset of symptoms.
Once symptoms of rabies appear, rabies infection is almost always fatal-despite medical intervention. However, the incubation period, or time from exposure to onset of symptoms, is generally 15-90 days. Medical assistance should be obtained as soon as possible after exposure to rabies, as treatment is effective when initiated prior to the onset of symptoms. The treatment, also known as post exposure prophylaxis, consists of a combination of rabies antiserum and a series of vaccinations. People bitten by any animal should immediately wash the wound with soap and water and contact their physician or county health department.