Rabies Alert
RABIES, RABIES and more RABIES!

 

Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Zimbabwe (VAWZ) is deeply concerned with the increasing number of confirmed Rabies cases throughout Zimbabwe. Recently a dog from Arcturus was tested positive, as well as a feral cat from Sussex Road (Avondale West).

Tragically a young boy in Chegutu has died from the disease, two months after being bitten by his neighbour’s dog. We cannot stress enough the importance of having ALL your pets vaccinated annually against this deadly disease.

Should you come into contact with an unknown animal, particularly one displaying unusual behaviour, please seek medical advice immediately. Children must be warned not to interact with strange animals.

RABIES IS 100% FATAL, DON’T TAKE A CHANCE! Please report sightings of suspect animals to VAWZ (0778431528 / 0775722449) or your nearest veterinary surgery.

Rabies (“madness”) is a viral disease that causes acute inflammation of the brain in humans and other warm-blooded animals. The time period between contracting the disease and the start of symptoms is usually one to three months; however it can vary from less than one week to more than one year.

The time is dependent on the distance the virus must travel to reach the central nervous system. Early symptoms may include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. This is then followed by either violent movements, uncontrolled excitement, and fear of water or an inability to move parts of the body and confusion followed by loss of consciousness. In both cases once symptoms appear it nearly always results in death.