Vets For Animals believes in coexistence, i.e. humans and animals, all can live in harmony together. Scientific and humane methodology to reduce conflict between humans and animals is one of our primary goals. Read on, to know more about the animal health issues which affect humans also. Call us, email us, write to us! We look forward to hearing from you!
What is Rabies? Is it always fatal?
Rabies is a viral disease which affects the brain and the central nervous system. It is a disease of all warm-blooded animals. The virus resides in the saliva of the infected animal. It is spread by the bite of the infected animal, usually dogs, monkeys etc. The symptoms may take days or weeks to appear, but once they appear, the disease is always fatal.
If bitten by a suspect animal, wash wound thoroughly with soap and water, and rush to the nearest doctor.
So how can animals and humans be safe from Rabies?
One word: Vaccination. By vaccinating dogs, especially stray dogs with Anti Rabies Vaccination (ARV), the spread of Rabies can be stopped. In a particular zone, if 70% of the free-roaming owner dogs and stray dogs are vaccinated, then Rabies can be contained.
For humans, there are both pre-bite and post-bite vaccinations available. If you are bitten by a dog whose vaccination record is not known, please take the first dose of the Anti Rabies Vaccination within 24 hours. The doctor might also prescribe immunoglobulins ,depending on the site and severity of the bite.
The schedule for post bite ARV for both human and dogs is Day 0, Day 3, Day 7, Day 14 and Day 30. This schedule needs to be followed rigorously.
Remember, Rabies kills. So vaccinate, vaccinate,vaccinate.
What is the role of Animal Birth Control operations in combating Rabies?
Past rabies elimination strategies included culling, based on the rationale that rabies transmission increases proportional to host density. However studies have shown that culling is an ineffective means of elimination and mass vaccination is most efficacious to reduce disease incidence in all species.
Animal Birth Control program developed by World Health Organization has proved to be the only practical solution to control the street dog population and eradicate rabies. In cities where it has been wholeheartedly implemented dog numbers and bites have reduced and these are now zero rabies zones.
Based on this success, GOI has formulated the Dog Rules 2001 which directs that municipalities work with animal welfare organisations to implement the ABC programme. These Rules make it illegal to either kill or remove dogs from any area as it is crucial to the success of the programme that dogs remain in their own areas to be systematically covered by the programme.
The Court too has accepted that sterilization and vaccination of dogs is the only scientific and humane solution and directed all Municipalities to follow it.
Killing or removal of dogs from an area has been ruled out because it is counter -productive. Dogs exist in any area because there is uncollected garbage and rats. If these dogs are removed, they will be replaced by other dogs or even more dangerously, rats. On the other hand, if left in the area, they will defend it against other dogs and prevent them from entering the colony. Once the existing population is sterilized, the numbers will over time decrease.