Rabies – A Graving Concern
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease. In up to 99% of cases, domestic dogs are responsible for rabies virus transmission to humans.
It’s present on all continents, except Antarctica, with over 95% of human deaths occurring in the Asia and Africa regions and predominantly affects poor and rural locations. Every year, millions of people worldwide receive a post-bite vaccination, which is estimated to prevent thousands of rabies deaths annually.
Rabies in Stray Dogs
Rabies is usually transmitted through an animal bite, for example, from stray dogs. A bite here and a scratch there from stray dogs is usual in humans who are around dogs a lot. The problem starts when it’s undetected in the dog. Once bitten, a human can experience symptoms like fever, headache, excess salivation, muscle spasms, paralysis and mental confusion. There is no specific treatment for rabies. Once symptoms appear, it’s nearly always fatal. A vaccine can prevent infection. The vast majority of rabies cases reported each year, occur in stray dogs. Rabies can be controlled effectively in stray dogs by campaigns of vaccination, contraception and reducing available food and shelter.
Importance of Rabies Vaccination Drives
Only Rabies vaccine can prevent rabies. Rabies is mainly a disease of animals. Humans get rabies when they are bitten or scratched by infected animals. Vaccinating dogs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people. Dog vaccination reduces deaths attributable to dog-mediated rabies and the need for post-exposure prevention (PEP) as a part of dog bite patient care. Education on dog behaviour and bite prevention for both children and adults is an essential extension of a rabies vaccination programme and can decrease both the incidence of human rabies and the financial burden of treating dog bites.
Vaccination Drives by AWRS
Rabies vaccination for stray dogs is an essential. It’s important that every human understand the severity of this issue and take initiative to save animal and human lives.
Since 2007, AWRS has been conducting vaccination drives to immune stray dogs against this grave disease and spread awareness in common people. With these drives we also help people gain information on: responsible pet ownership, how to prevent dog bites and immediate care measures after a bite. In Indore and towns nearby, we’ve successfully held plenty of these drives and helped dogs eschew a fatality.