Animal Disease Emergencies – rabies during disasters

rABIES IS ONE OF THE MOST DEADLY ZOONOTIC DISEASES GLOBALLY, CAUSED BY A VIRUS FROM THE LYSSA VIRUS FAMILY. THE WORD LYSSA TRANSLATES TO RAGE OR FURY IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE.
 
The RABIES VIRUS CAUSES SWELLING OF THE SPINAL CORD
AND BRAIN, LEADING TO RAPID PAINFUL DEATH.
ONCE SYMPTOMS OF RABIES SET IN FOR BOTH PEOPLE AND
ANIMALS, ITS RESULTS IN 100% DEATH AS THERE IS NO
TREATMENT ONCE THE DISEASE SIGNS START!

PHASES OF RABIES DISEASE

Phase one -1-3 days – unusual behavior

Phase two – 3-4 days – furious stage – excitable, irritable, nerves are hypersensitive to stimuli
(light, water, noise ), foaming/hypersalivation, attacking people and animals, has no- fear or
anything.

Phase three – paralytic stage – nerve damage leads to mouth, neck and back legs paralysis

Phase four – 10 days -respiratory
paralysis and death.

Dogs

  • loss of appetite
  • loss of coordination/
  • disorientation, when walking,
  • not wanting to drink water
  • expresses fear of water
  • expresses fear of water
  • hypersensitive to light
  • jaw appears dropped
  • vocalization changes – strange bark
  • friendly dogs may become irritable, while normally excitable animals may become
    more docile.
  • depraved appetite, eating and chewing stones, earth, feces, and rubbish
  • paralysis
  • foaming at the mouth at terminal stage.
    death within 10 days

Cats

  • loss of appetite
  • restlessness and lethargy
  • loss of coordination/ disorientation when walking,
  • not wanting to drink water
  • expresses fear of water
  • hypersensitive to light
  • vocalization changes – strange meow.
  • depraved appetite, eating and chewing stones, earth, feces, and rubbish
  • Cats may displace excess affection to their owner, and once close, display
    biting behavior or aggression.
  • foaming at the mouth at terminal stage.
  • Paralysis and sudden death

Cattle

  • charge, attack, bite and pursue people, other animals, and
    moving objects like cars.
  • milking cows stop producing milk suddenly.
  • alertness and twitchiness of ears and eyes.
  • continuous bull-like bellowing sound

Horse

  • distressed and extremely agitated.
  • rolling around
  • bite or strike viciously with their heads or back legs
  • self-inflicted wounds

Wild Animals

  • excess saliva, foaming
  • loss of fear of humans by wild animals.
  • attacks strange animals e.g. a porcupine; a dead or alive hyena
    with porcupine quills can support rabies’ diagnosis.
  • animal appearing drunk or excessively wobbly, circling, seeming
    partially paralyzed, acting disorientated or mutilating itself.
  • rabid hyenas and jackals often invade homesteads attacking
    dogs and people.
  • Squirrels and ferrets In the “dumb” stage of rabies may behave
    tame and approach humans.

Controlling Rabies

  • CONTROLLING RABIES IN DOGS, IS THE PRIMARY WAY TO PREVENT HUMAN
    CASES AND REDUCE WILDLIFE CASES AS WELL.
  • OVER 99% OF HUMAN RABIES CASES ARE CAUSED BY DOGS INFECTED WITH
    RABIES.
  • DOGS’ VACCINATION AND DOG POPULATION MANAGEMENT REMAINS
    THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT RABIES EXPOSURE.
 

First aid Measures

  • WHEN A BITE FROM SUSPECTED INFECTED ANIMAL OCCURS, VIGOROUS WOUND
    WASHING WITH PLENTY OF WATER AND SOAP FOR 15 MINUTES IS THE FIRST LINE
    OF PREVENTION.
  • MEDICAL CARE WITH POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PEP) SHOULD ALSO BE
    PROVIDED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE EXPOSURE TO PREVENT RABIES INFECTION.
 

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