Tuesday, Sept. 28 marks World Rabies Day, which raises understanding and awareness about the importance of rabies prevention.
Rabies is one of the deadliest and oldest diseases known to mankind. It's also preventable. Yet according to the World Health Organization, rabies kills about 55,000 people each year—half of whom are children under 15 years of age.
“Rabies is primarily a disease of children, who are particularly at risk from this terrible disease, due to their close contact with dogs, the major global source," said Dr. Debbie Briggs of the Alliance for Rabies Control, the group leading World Rabies Day.
While dogs are the main source of rabies throughout the world, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says more than 90 percent of rabid animals in this country are wild animals, mostly bats and skunks. But this region has seen rabid dogs. For example, the Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory reports that in 2009, four Kansas dogs tested positive for rabies; one was in Wyandotte County.
Rabies is usually transmitted by bite. Exposure may also happen, however, when saliva from an infected animal contaminates mucous membranes or broken skin. Rabies is fatal once neurological symptoms develop.
The best way for pet owners to prevent rabies is to keep a pet's rabies protection current. “Vaccination prior to possible exposure is a crucial part of health management of domestic animals, and is the single most important factor in rabies prevention," said Peter Costa of the Alliance for Rabies Control.
You should also avoid contact with wild animals and strays, and teach children to do the same. Discourage wildlife from hanging around your property by securing trash cans and keeping food inside.
If you are bitten by wildlife or a stray animal, wash the wound with soap and water and get medical help immediately. Quick treatment can stop rabies infection before it progresses into something sinister. And even if your dog is vaccinated, you should still contact your veterinarian right away after a wild mammal or stray domestic animal bites your pet. Report any bites to your local animal control department, as officers may be able to capture the animal.
Protect yourself and your pet from rabies. Prevention begins with you.
For more information on World Rabies Day, visit its official website.
References:
Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine – Rabies positive cases in Kansas (2009)
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Rabies surveillance
World Health Organization – Rabies: A neglected zoonotic disease
Cost must never be an issue when protecting your pet against rabies. Low-cost vaccinations for pets in limited-budget families are offered by several organizations in the Kansas City area, including the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, No More Homeless Pets KC, Spay & Neuter Kansas City and Halfway Home Pet Adoptions. Halfway Home will have a free rabies vaccination clinic in observance of World Rabies Day on Tuesday, Sept. 28 from noon to 7 p.m. The shelter will also have microchips available and other vaccinations, as well as city licensing for pets owned by KCMO residents. Halfway Home is located at 4400 Raytown Road, KCMO.
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Announcement: Halfway Home Pet Adoptions is offering reduced prices on almost all pets at the shelter until Tuesday, Sept. 28. The adoption fee for most dogs is $50 or less; cats are going for $15.
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What dog events are happening this weekend in the Kansas City metro? Find out here!
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