Dog health key to humans
Rabies affects domestic animals such as dogs. Global statistics indicate that dogs are the source of a vast majority of human rabies’ deaths. Net photo.
On March 11, stray dogs invaded villages in Sembabule District, leaving eight people with injuries.
Residents reported that stray dogs had become a big problem in the town, putting their lives in danger since many of them were not vaccinated.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) fact sheet on rabies, dogs are the source of the vast majority of human rabies deaths. Rabies is a disease that is transmitted to humans from animals.
It is caused by a virus. The disease affects domestic and wild animals, and is spread to people through close contact with infectious material, usually saliva, via bites or scratches.
Veterinary take
Paul Zziwa, a veterinary doctor at Pet Care Clinic in Kibuli, says every mammal can spread rabies especially if it has been bitten by a rabid animal. Dogs and cats usually get rabies from wild animals such as squirrels, wolves and foxes.
For this reason, he says, people should always be careful with animals and human beings that have been bitten by rabid animals. He adds that adult pet animals should be vaccinated once every year whereas puppies and kittens can be vaccinated against rabies at three months.
Signs of a rabid animal
Dr Elizabeth Kembabazi, a physician at AAR Clinic says one should suspect every dog or cat that has not been vaccinated for a long period as a source of rabies. Besides, one should shun every aggressive animal. Aggressiveness may involve biting everything that comes its way.
Irene Edoku, a medical clinical officer at Entebbe hospital says it is important to watch the dog that has bitten someone for at least 10 to 14 days.
A rabid animal, according to Edoku, may present symptoms such as loss of appetite, docility, fear of water, eagerness to bite, saliva flowing out of the mouth uncontrollably , and eventually death.
If a dog shows signs of rabies, it should be killed even if it has not bitten anyone. But if it has already bitten someone, then it should be watched to confirm whether it was rabid.
Apart from cats and dogs, rabies can also be spread by animals such as monkeys, foxes, and wolves among others, as Edoku explains.
Timely treatment
According to Dr Kembabazi, rabies is preventable but those who die from it delay to receive treatment. She blames delayed treatment on the tendency to use herbal concoctions.
“There is no way someone can die of rabies if he or she rushed to a reliable health facility after being bitten by a stray animal. Doctors administer the post exposure vaccine as soon the victim arrives at the health facility. Post exposure helps to prevent rabies,” Dr Kembabazi explains.
Irene Edoku, a medical clinical officer at Entebbe hospital, concurs saying a person can only die from rabies if he received treatment after the incubation period of 14 to 30 days.
Edoku says they register five to 10 cases of dog bites every day but some patients go to the hospital after their herbal concoctions have failed.
She says others spend a lot of time fundraising to take patients to Entebbe hospital yet they can get the same services in their respective health facilities.
She says most people who travel long distances to seek treatment at Entebbe hospital die because they reach the hospital when the virus has weakened their body, particularly the brain.
