What are the two most common clinical signs of rabies in animals?

The two most common clinical signs of rabies in animals are a change in normal behavior and agitation. Rabies affects the central nervous system, causing profound changes in an animal's behavior, including increased aggression or agitation. Animals may become irritable, aggressive, or frightened, and their usual social behaviors can change drastically as they struggle with the effects of the virus.

This answer highlights the importance of recognizing behavioral changes as an early indicator of rabies infection, which can help in both diagnosis and response measures to avoid further transmission of the disease. In this context, other options such as excessive barking and biting might occur as the disease progresses but are not definitive indicators of rabies on their own. Loss of appetite and weight loss, while they can be symptoms of many conditions, are not the most characteristic signs of rabies. Fever and coughing are also not typical signs associated with rabies in animals, and are more common in respiratory illnesses, rather than neurological effects as seen in rabies.