Free vaccination drive held to curb the spread of rabies
The vaccination was part of the free booster vaccinations drive, which was undertaken after the detection of rabies, when a stray dog paralysed by rabies was rescued in Kempton Park West.
The city, in partnership with the Kempton Park SPCA and Gauteng Veterinary Services, vaccinated 731 pets against rabies in Kempton Park on Thursday last week.
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The vaccination was part of the free booster vaccinations drive, which was undertaken after the detection of rabies when a stray dog paralysed by rabies was rescued in Kempton Park West.
Speaking about the initiative, Dr Duma Mpofu from the Gauteng Veterinary Services stated that one case is one too many.
“Although there was one confirmed rabies case in Kempton Park West, it was important for us to come out to vaccinate the animals in the area because rabies is fatal, though it is preventable through vaccination,” Mpofu said.
He said that people usually get rabies from the bite of a rabid animal (an infected animal showing symptoms of rabies) but can without knowing it gets rabies if a pet with rabies licks someone’s open wound.
Rabies is a disease affecting the brain and can lead to the death of an infected person or animal.
Symptoms vary widely and include behavioural changes, aggressiveness, and paralysis.
Symptoms can occur any time between seven days and six months after infection with the virus.
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The veterinarians on site stated that the virus occurs in great numbers in the saliva of rabid animals, therefore, residents should avoid touching or caressing a strange, injured or sick animal.
Gauteng state veterinarians and animal health technicians provide free veterinary services to communities that would otherwise not be able to afford private veterinary services.
They visit communities regularly with their fully equipped mobile clinic.
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