Tetanus is an often fatal disease of the nervous system, caused by the Clostridium tetani bacteria. It infects dogs as it does people, by contaminating wounds and excreting a toxin that stiffens muscles and can cause death.
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Types
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There are two types. Localized tetanus causes rigidity in a focused area of the dog's body. The other is generalized tetanus, which causes all-over symptoms and eventually affects all areas of the animal's body.
Symptoms
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Tetanus bacteria create a toxin, which affects the nervous system and produces muscle spasms. The dog's jaw can become "locked" by these spasms, creating the condition known as lockjaw. Early on, ears will become erect, and movement becomes difficult. Late-term symptoms can move to vital systems, making breathing and other processes difficult.
Causes
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The bacterium is introduced through a wound in the dog. A powerful toxin targets the neuromuscular junction--the area between the dog's nerve and muscle--and creates the recognizable muscle stiffness in sufferers.
Incubation
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The time it takes between exposure to the bacteria and display of symptoms ranges from between two days to two months. Most often, symptoms will begin within fourteen days of initial injury.
Treatment
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If found early on, veterinarians can administer an antitoxin, antibiotic or muscle relaxer to help symptoms subside. In more advanced cases, supportive care to help with respiratory problems or other side effects may become necessary as a purely palliative approach.
Prognosis
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Tetanus is rare in dogs, but if it is caught early enough and care is provided, most animals will recover. If the bacteria goes unchecked for too long, the toxin may have spread too far to treat effectively.
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