By Veterinary Hospital Kohima
World Rabies Day, the 28th of September is observed globally every year to create awareness among the pet owners and the general public about the importance of Rabies disease in dogs, its prevention and various control measures. This day is observed every year to mark the death anniversary of Louis Pasteur, a French Chemist and microbiologist who developed the first Rabies Vaccine.
This year, the World Rabies Day is Themed- RABIES CONTROL, RABIES FACT- NOT FEAR. The focus is on sharing facts about Rabies and not spreading fear about the disease.
RABIES FACT: are essential for raising facts about Rabies disease by vaccinating all dog population, by ensuring that exposed people receive post-exposure therapy treatment.
RABIES FEAR: relates to general fear caused by Rabies disease, relates to the symptom of fear that people may experience when infected with rabies, fear caused by fake news i.e. making people afraid of people vaccinating their dogs, making people afraid of vaccination post-bite.
It is a day of reflection that we still have a long way to fight against Rabies disease. Since every year globally thousands of people die because of this disease, and this day is also a great opportunity to create awareness through social media, mass media, vaccination camp, posters, leaflets, pamphlets, etc, to all stake holders, NGOs/organizations, schools/college students to join hands to eradicate rabies globally.
What is Rabies in dog?
Rabies is one of the most alarming viral diseases of dog. It is caused by a bullet shaped virus known as Rhabdo virus.
How does the disease spread?
Rabies is a zoonotic viral disease that is transmitted through saliva, bites and scratches from an infected rabid dog to a healthy dog or a human being.
What are the symptoms of rabid in dog?
- Change in normal behavior, over sensitive/alert and aggressive
- Restless and tend to bite without any provocation
- Profuse salivation, inability to take food and fear of water
- Incoordination of movement and paralysis of jaw
- High tone bark
- Increased body temperature
- Try to search for dark corners to hide
- Run around aimlessly
Is rabies preventable?
“YES”, Rabies is 100% vaccine preventable disease.
Why do healthy dog bite a human?
- A dog when it feel there is a threat to its position may bite any person
- Certain dogs are aggressive by nature and may bite at the slightest provocation like stepping on its tail/body, hitting with stick/teasing/throwing stone or nay hard object.
- Sometime the tendency of a dog to bite without provocation may be due to heredity, early bad experience, late socialization, nutrition status and victims behavior
- Off all age group, children are the most at risk for dog bites because of the children’s behavior towards unfamiliar strange dogs
- Sometime if a dog had bitten once, there always seem to be a second bite case and so on.
Are all dog bite cases related to rabies?
‘NO”, all dog bite cases are not related to rabies.
How to protect your pet from rabies?
Dogs are considered as man’s best friend but sometimes they can turn out to be dangerous. Therefore, vaccination of your dog with rabies vaccine yearly is very important.
How many times does a dog need to be vaccinated?
- The first vaccine should be given when your pet dog is 3 months of age
- Then go for yearly vaccination lifelong
Issued in public interest. September 28 is World Rabies Day