Rabies?

well it begins with symptoms such as fever, cough, or sore throat so if you have any of those go get check out

right from webmd

If you are concerned that you may have been exposed to the rabies virus, it is important to seek medical attention before symptoms develop. Rabies is nearly always fatal, but shots given before symptoms appear can help prevent the disease.

Rabies in humans can be difficult to diagnose. After symptoms start, tests that can be done include:

• Direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) test. This common, rapid test detects the rabies virus protein. DFA testing is done by taking a sample of tissue from the potentially affected area.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. This test finds the genetic material (DNA) of the rabies virus proteins. PCR testing is very accurate and can be done on saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, or tissue.

To find out if a person was exposed to the rabies virus, the animal must be tested. Diagnosis in animals also is difficult. Animals that show signs of abnormal behavior but can't be tested often are assumed to be rabid. The risk that an animal is infected with the rabies virus is based on:

After rabies symptoms appear, the disease progresses quickly, and there is no cure. It is important to get medical care before symptoms occur so that there is less chance of serious damage from the rabies virus. Medical care for rabies includes:

• Thorough cleansing of the area of exposure (bite, scratch, or open sore).
• Vaccines and immune globulin.

Any animal bite or area of exposure should be washed with soap and water immediately. Your doctor and local health department can help you find out if you have been infected with the rabies virus. Rabies vaccinations will be given right away if your chance of getting rabies is high.

If you think you have been exposed to rabies, you may be given a series of shots (injections) known as postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). The shots help the body's immune system destroy the disease in its early stages. Getting PEP before symptoms appear usually prevents infection, and you are likely to recover. After symptoms of rabies are present, PEP is thought to not be effective.

PEP is given depending upon your risk of exposure to rabies. Your local health department or a doctor can help determine your risk and whether you need PEP. Factors involved in determining this risk include:

depends on the breed and temperment of the dog. often mixed dogs are prone to adopting negative attributes from either breed. it might have just been territorial of the bone and since you are somewhat of a stranger it may have felt you as threatening, therefor why it didnt attack its owners. anyways the first thing would be to check the dog and also check yourself. also i dont think the dog would express aggression within minutes of coming into contact with the bone. from what im reading it might take a few weeks or even months.

Prodromal phase: first symptoms of rabies
The early symptoms of rabies tend to be subtle, last 2 to 3 days, and include the following:

• Change in tone of the dog's bark
• Chewing at the bite site
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Subtle changes in behavior

http://www.animalhealthchannel.com/rabies/symptoms.shtml

i was attacked by my own dog, it bit me in the face, and it was never rabid. some dogs have bizarre behaviors and are very possessive of their owners for no real apparent reason.