However not all mammals are equally susceptible to infection. Wild carnivores play an important part in maintaining the disease. For instance infection in foxes has been of considerable concern in aggravating incidence in domestic carnivores in Europe over the last few decades. Thus it is carnivores that are the principal animals involved in spread of the disease. The paralytic form occurs later in the course of disease, just prior to death.
Death is virtually inevitable in animals showing clinical signs.
In the furious stage, carnivores become aggressive and dangerous and bite at any stimulation. This is when most spread takes place, as one uncontrolled carnivore in the furious stage, which can last up to 7 days, can bite many other animals during its rampaging. Voice changes and drooling of saliva caused by partial paralysis of pharyngeal muscles are often noted. Animals may also swallow wood, stones and the like. In cattle, the signs are usually only of the paralytic form, the furious form being rare.