Don’t be ignorant – recognise rabies and the danger it poses

Rabies – a widespread viral disease which can be prevented with a vaccine – is found in more than 150 countries and territories.

According to the Boksburg SPCA manager, Maggie Mudd, rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease (which means that it can be passed from an infected animal to a human) and is spread through the saliva of an infected animal and affects all warm-blooded animals and humans.

It is caused by a virus that affects the central nervous system and causes inflammation in the brain.

An animal with rabies is able to transfer the virus to humans via bites or scratches. However, any saliva contact with the mucous membranes or an open wound can also cause the spread of the virus.

The incubation period for rabies is usually four to 12 weeks but it can be both shorter and longer than this and depends on how far the bite site is from the brain.

There are two types of the disease that can develop:

Furious Form: This is the type we are accustomed to seeing. An animal literally goes ‘mad’ and attacks anything and everything that moves. The animal battles to swallow and no longer drinks, is agitated and shows an excess of saliva or foams around the mouth. This is the type that usually affects domesticated animals.

Dumb Form: This form can often be seen in wild animals and they can appear to be ‘tame’ as they do not run away like normal animals would but may permit people to approach them. “People must always be wary of a jackal or mongoose that acts in this manner as they may have the ‘dumb’ form of rabies,” said Mudd.

It is important to remember that rabies is a preventable disease and it is vital that all domestic pets (cats, as well as dogs) be vaccinated against the disease from three months of age and then annually

People who work closely with animals should also be vaccinated as a safety precaution.

The state veterinarian needs to be advised of any possible outbreak of rabies and will confirm this disease by dissecting and inspecting the brain of the dead animal – for this reason it is important for people not to take the law into their own hands and shoot what is thought to be an affected animal in the head as this can destroy the brain.

Even when an animal suspected of having rabies is dead, special precautions should be taken when handling the carcass – protective clothing (gloves, eye goggles, etc.) should be worn and the animal should be placed in a plastic bag as the rabies virus remains infectious for several hours after death.

The internal organs can remain infectious for several weeks depending on the environmental temperature, so burial is not recommended.

The public will be charged a R20 fee to have their animals vaccinated against rabies at the Boksburg SPCA.

Don’t wait – vaccinate!