The Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development would like to warn the public of the very real threat of rabies in the Lanseria and Muldersdrift area.
Dr Malcolm de Budé, chief director of Veterinary Services and Sustainable Resource Management, says rabies is a disease affecting the brain and can lead to the death of the person or animal involved.
“Symptoms vary widely and include behavioural changes, aggressiveness and paralysis,” he says.
According to de Budé, symptoms can occur from seven days to six months after being affected with the virus.
“The virus occurs in great numbers in the saliva of rabid (infected animal showing symptoms of rabies) animals.
“Avoid touching or caressing a strange, wild, injured or sick animal.”
De Budé adds that it is compulsory for all dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies.
“Failure to vaccinate domestic pets is illegal and is a public health risk.”
All dogs and cats over the age of three months that have not been vaccinated for rabies within 30 days must be vaccinated.
“The public can choose between having the vaccination of their pets done by their private veterinarian or by the state.
“Any animal which has not been vaccinated should immediately be taken to a veterinarian or the SPCA for a health check and to be vaccinated,” de Budé concludes.
The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) also calls on residents to vaccinate their pets as soon as possible. Christine Kuch, spokesman for the NSPCA, says if there is an outbreak, people need to make sure their pets are vaccinated.
“Rabies has an incubation period of up to nine months,” says Kuch.
She explains that an animal can have rabies, but that the symptoms won’t necessarily show for up to nine months.
“It doesn’t automatically mean it has to be foaming at the mouth to have rabies.
“The animal can show no symptoms, but can still have rabies.”
She adds that it is a particularly difficult situation and they do not want to cause general alarm.
“Please, please make sure your animals are vaccinated and take care when approaching strange animals.
“And don’t panic,” Kuch concludes.
