STAFF REPORTER
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 28
A good number of pet owners took benefit of free anti-rabies vaccination provided by the Dimapur district veterinary department on Monday, September 28 at Veterinary Hospital Dimapur commemorating the World Rabies Day.
Addressing pet owners and the department during a program conducted to mark World Rabies Day, chief guest of the event, Dimapur district’s deputy commissioner Kesonyu Yhome emphasized on individuals’ responsibility as a stakeholder to bring an end to rabies.
Yhome cited the American Veterinary Association’s statistics which stated that 55, 000 persons die every year of rabies with Africa and Asia making up the highest numbers. He explained that the threat was unacceptable ‘when we have the resources and technology and it will be a failure on our part if we do not bring an end to rabies threat.’
Saying that the ’unnatural trouble’ causes 30,000 to 35000 deaths every year in India, Yhome pointed out that lack of awareness among the public was the root cause for the menace. Therefore, he called on the Veterinary department to spread information on a daily basis and work on to put an end to rabies together with the public.
Also delivering the keynote address during the program, chief veterinary officer of Dimapur Dr.Temsu Ozukum said, “World Rabies Day is designated to create awareness about human and animal rabies regarding the impact of the disease, its prevention and the task to eradicate sources of the disease across the world”
Enlightening the participants on the consequences of rabies, Dr.Temsu called on every pet owner and concerned citizens alike to participate and contribute to ending rabies together. ‘End Rabies Together’ is the theme for this year’s World Rabies Day.
Here are some things you need to know about Rabies
Rabies in Dog: It infest in two forms:
• Furious form- also called Mad Dog Syndrome is characterized by change of behaviour, running amuck, change of voice, excessive salivation and paralytic stage.
• Dump form- characterized by predominantly form where the excitative and irritative stage is less seen. The dog withdraw itself from being seen or disturbed and usually lapses in to a syage of sleepiness and die within 3-4 days.
Control measures:
All dogs should receive primary immunization at the age of 3-4 months and booster dose should be given at regular interval according to the type of vaccine used.
Rabies mode of transmission:
Animal bite, licks, aerosols, person to person.
Rabies in man:
The disease in man begins with symptoms such as headache, malaise, sore throat and mild fever for 3-4 days followed by widespread excitation and stimulation of all parts of nervous system. The patient gets intolerant of noise, bright light, cold draught air, aerophobia to name some few.
With no specific treatment for rabies, preventive measures can be taken where every instances of human exposure to rabies cases should be treated as medical emergency.
Those who are bitten by suspected rabid dog should immediately inoculated with post bite vaccines to neutralize the virus before it enters the nervous system.
And the local wound should be immediately cleaned with clean running water with soap, chemical treatment, suturing, antiserum and observe for 10 days.
