RABIES Test for Dogs and Cats – Canine / Feline RABV Antigen Home Test Kit – LFIA

This test requires pet’s saliva or cerebrospinal fluid sample.
You will need one swab of sample.

Each kit contains:

• Test cassette
• Disposable dropper
• Buffer liquid tubes
• Cotton swab stick
• Instructions Leaflet (one for every 10 tests)
• Color box packaging (one for every 10 tests)

WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE:

100-pack includes:
– 100 sealed test cassettes
– 100 disposable droppers (inside the sealed cassette pouch)
– 100 buffer liquid tubes (packed in boxes of 10)
– 100 swab sticks (packed in pouches of 10)
– 10 instruction leaflets (one for every 10 tests)
– 10 color box packages (one for every 10 tests)

50-pack includes:
– 50 sealed test cassettes
– 50 disposable droppers (inside the sealed cassette pouch)
– 50 buffer liquid tubes (packed in boxes of 10)
– 50 swab sticks (packed in pouches of 10)
– 5 instruction leaflets (one for every 10 tests)
– 5 color box packages (one for every 10 tests)

20-pack includes:
– 20 sealed test cassettes
– 20 disposable droppers (inside the sealed cassette pouch)
– 20 buffer liquid tubes (packed in boxes of 10)
– 20 swab sticks (packed in pouches of 10)
– 2 instruction leaflets (one for every 10 tests)
– 2 color box packages (one for every 10 tests)

This is a COMPLETE test. No additional equipment is needed—everything required is included in the test kit.

1. Read the instructions carefully before starting the test.
2. Collect pet’s saliva sample with the cotton swab. Vets can use cerebrospinal fluid. Make the swab sufficiently wet.
   Once the sample is ready the RABV test takes 10–15 minutes to complete.
3. Prepare the test: Remove the test cassette from the foil pouch and place it on a flat surface.
4. Insert the swab stick into the tube containing the buffer liquid and mix thoroughly to ensure proper sample extraction. Then use enclosed dropper to transfer 3 drops of the sample mixture into the S (sample) window of the test cassette.
5. Wait 5–10 minutes and read the results.

The test is valid for 18 months or more from the date of purchase.

What is Rabies?

Rabies is a deadly viral disease that attacks the brain and nervous system of mammals, including cats, dogs, and humans. It is caused by a virus in the genus Lyssavirus. Once clinical signs appear, rabies is almost 100% fatal. This is why vaccination is so important.

What Makes Rabies Different from Other Diseases?

Unlike most other infectious diseases, rabies has two unique and terrifying features:

1. It is always fatal once symptoms begin. There is no cure.

2. It can spread from animals to humans (a zoonotic disease). Human rabies is also almost always fatal without immediate post-exposure treatment.

Because of this, rabies is a major public health concern worldwide.

Where is Rabies Found?

Rabies is found on every continent except Antarctica. Some countries and regions are considered “rabies-free” (e.g., islands like Hawaii, Great Britain, Japan, Australia, New Zealand), but most of the world, including the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, has rabies present in wildlife or domestic animals.

Reservoirs (animals that carry rabies) vary by region:

Key point: In many parts of the world, dogs are the main source of rabies transmission to humans.

How Do Cats and Dogs Get Infected?

Rabies is spread through the saliva of an infected animal. The virus enters the body through a bite wound, scratch, or contact with mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth).

Most common routes:

Sources of infection for pets:

• Wildlife (raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats)

• Stray dogs or cats

• Unvaccinated domestic animals

Key point: A dog or cat does NOT need to be bitten by a “raging, foaming” animal. Any bite from any wild or unvaccinated animal is a potential rabies exposure.

Clinical Signs in Cats and Dogs

The time from infection to symptoms (incubation period) is highly variable, ranging from weeks to months. Once symptoms begin, the disease progresses rapidly, usually causing death within 7–10 days.

There are two main forms of rabies:

1. FURIOUS RABIES (more common in dogs)

This form is what most people imagine: aggressive, “mad” animals.

Signs in dogs and cats:

• Restlessness and anxiety

• Aggression (biting, snapping at anything, including owners)

• Irritability

• Pica (eating non-food items like rocks, dirt, wood)

• Disorientation and wandering

• Seizures

• Hydrophobia (fear of water – rare in animals, more common in humans)

• Death from respiratory failure

2. PARALYTIC (DUMB) RABIES (more common in cats)

This form is quieter but just as deadly. The animal becomes paralyzed.

Signs in dogs and cats:

• Weakness, starting in the hind legs

• Dropping of the lower jaw (looks like something stuck in the mouth)

• Drooling or foaming at the mouth (inability to swallow)

• Change in voice (hoarse bark or meow)

• Progressive paralysis

• Coma followed by death

Important: Both forms eventually progress to paralysis and death.

Early, subtle signs (often missed):

• Sudden change in behavior (friendly dog becomes shy, shy cat becomes friendly)

• Licking or biting at the site of the bite wound

• Fever (early, then disappears)

• Nocturnal animals (bats, foxes) out during the day

Key point: Any sudden, unexplained change in behavior in a dog or cat should raise suspicion for rabies, especially if the animal is not vaccinated or has unknown vaccine history.

Diagnosis

There is no reliable live-animal test for rabies. The only definitive test requires examination of brain tissue after the animal has died.

In a living animal:

• Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and exposure history

• No blood or saliva test is reliable enough to rule out rabies

After death:

• Direct Fluorescent Antibody (DFA) test on brain tissue – this is the gold standard

• Results are usually available within hours

What this means for veterinarians: If a dog or cat shows signs of rabies, it must be euthanized and tested. There is no “wait and see” approach because of the public health risk.

Prognosis (Outlook)

Key clinical reality: Once a dog or cat shows signs of rabies, euthanasia is recommended immediately for humane reasons and to protect human health. There is no treatment.

Prevention (Vaccination)

Rabies is entirely preventable through vaccination. This is the single most important thing you can do for your patients and for public health.

Vaccination recommendations:

Why vaccinate indoor cats? Bats can enter homes. An indoor cat that catches a bat is at risk for rabies exposure.

Legal requirements: In most of the United States and many other countries, rabies vaccination is required by law for dogs and often for cats.

What to Do After a Potential Exposure

If a dog or cat is bitten by a wild animal or an unvaccinated animal:

Key point: Any animal that bites a human must be quarantined for 10 days and observed for signs of rabies.

Public Health Importance

Rabies is a reportable disease everywhere. If you suspect rabies:

1. Protect yourself – wear gloves, mask, eye protection

2. Isolate the animal immediately

3. Contact public health authorities – they will guide next steps

4. Euthanize and test if rabies is strongly suspected

5. Notify any exposed humans – they need immediate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which includes rabies vaccine and immune globulin

Human rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms start. This is why we take every potential exposure seriously.

Key Takeaways for Practice

1. Rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms appear. There is no treatment.

2. Vaccination is the only prevention. This is a legal requirement in many places and a public health necessity.

3. Any sudden behavior change in an unvaccinated animal is a red flag.

4. There is no reliable live-animal test. Diagnosis requires brain tissue after death.

5. Protect yourself. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling any animal with neurologic signs.

6. Report suspected rabies to public health authorities immediately.

7. Quarantine and observe any animal that bites a human.