State Veterinarian confirmed Rabies vaccination will start this week
Pet and animal owners are encouraged to vaccinate their animals, specifically dogs and cats, to ensure zero cases of rabies in humans, as it is 100% preventable.
Vaccinations against rabies will start at the majority of veterinarian clinics in Lydenburg this week.
As part of World Rabies Month in September, pet owners are urged to visit their local veterinarian, state veterinarian or animal health technician to vaccinate their animals.
Dr Brian Chester-Brown, from Sterkspruit Veterinary Clinic, said the clinic will have the vaccine provided by the State Veterinarian ready on Friday September 3.
The rabies vaccines are free.
“We work on raising rabies awareness throughout the whole year, but in September there is a specialised campaign,” said state veterinarian, Dr Patience Selotole.
The Office of the State Veterinarian will inoculate animals on Tuesday 14, Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 August.
This will be at its office on the corner of Voortrekker and Lydenburg streets.
The state veterinarian team will also take the campaign to Mashishing and possible Skhila during the third week of September.
Phone the Office of the State Veterinarian to confirm dates for inoculation on 072 024 2277.
The veterinary clinics in town can also be contacted, as some have special packages for clients in addition to the free rabies injections.
Phone Sterkspruit Veterinary Clinic on 013 235 4132, Longtom Animal Clinic on 071 285 8122 and Lydenburg Animal Clinic on 013 235 3039.
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Additional info:
* Globally, September 28 has been declared as World Rabies Day, with the mission to raise awareness about the impact of human and animal rabies and the relative ease of its prevention.
Despite rabies being preventable in humans through prompt medical treatment following exposure, more than 55 000 people die annually in the world due to rabies, most cases being in Africa and Asia.
The increased occurrence of rabies outbreaks in densely populated areas within South Africa has resulted in the country taking it a step further and declaring September 2011 Rabies Month.
Rabies is a fatal disease of animals that may also be fatal in humans if not treated immediately after exposure.
All warm-blooded animals can contract and then transmit rabies.
The most common animal species within South Africa that can become infected with rabies are pets (cats, dogs, horses), livestock (cattle, goats, sheep) and wild animals (mongooses, bat-eared foxes, black-backed jackals, bats).
Rabies is mainly transmitted to humans by the bite of infected animals, as the virus is found in the saliva.
The clinical signs associated with rabies in animals may vary widely.
The most common signs are behavioural changes, salivation with abnormal vocalisation and incoordination.
Behavioural changes in domestic animals present as aggression, whereas in wild animals, they appear tame and lose their fear for humans.
Cat and dog owners are compelled by law (the Animal Diseases Act, 1984 (Act No. 35 of 1984)) to vaccinate their pets against rabies.
If a person is bitten by a rabid dog, the person should present themselves to a local medical clinic as soon as possible, as immediate post-exposure treatment is essential in preventing death due to the contraction of rabies.
What to do when bitten by a dog in a rabies outbreak area:
1. Wash the wound/exposed area with running water and soap for between 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Immediately go to your nearest clinic/doctor (district surgeon).
3. Inform your state veterinarian/animal health technician so that they can inspect the animal, determine the risk, and test for rabies if necessary.
4. Depending on the exposure category, the clinic/doctor will start the relevant post-exposure prophylaxis protocol (with day zero of treatment being the actual date of exposure or as close to this day as possible).
5. The state veterinarian will revert with results from the suspected animal to determine if post-exposure prophylaxis should continue or be discontinued and if the local dog and cat population requires a rabies vaccination campaign.
