RABIES – VAWZ Inspectors have dealt with three confirmed Rabies cases in the last two weeks. The dogs came from the Glen Lorne, Chisipite and Meyrick Park areas. Please ensure that your dogs and cats vaccinations are up to date – we strongly recommend that animals be vaccinated every year. Children must be warned not to go near strange animals, but should contact occur, medical assistance must be sought immediately. Remember Rabies is 100% fatal. Sightings of suspected animals can be reported to VAWZ on cell numbers 0778431528 / 0773476009 / 0775722449. vawz@yoafrica.com

Signs and Symptoms of Rabies

Once infection occurs, the rabies virus grows in muscle tissue and may go undetected for several days or months. During this incubation (or latent) period, the animal appears healthy and shows no sign of infection.

Usually within 1 to 3 months, the virus migrates to the nerves near the site of the infection and spreads to the spinal cord and brain (i.e., the central nervous system). It usually takes from 12 to 180 days to spread through the peripheral nerves to the central nervous system. At this point, the disease progresses rapidly, and the animal begins to show the classic behavioral signs of rabies. The virus spreads to the saliva, tears, breast milk and urine. The animal usually dies in 4 or 5 days.

Rabies causes typical symptoms. The infection progresses in a predictable manner, from the initial prodormal phase to the excitative, or furious, phase to the final paralytic phase.

The first sign usually is a change in behaviour. Pet owners should be aware that behavioral changes can occur as a result of many conditions, from digestive disorders to poisoning.

Rabid animals usually stop eating and drinking, and may appear to want to be left alone. After the initial onset of symptoms, the animal may become vicious or begin to show signs of paralysis. Some rabid animals bite at the slightest provocation and others may be somnolent and difficult to arouse. Once the animal shows signs of paralysis, the disease progresses very quickly and the animal dies.

Prodromal Phase: First Symptoms of Rabies

The early symptoms of rabies tend to be subtle, last 2 to 3 days, and include the following:

•  Change in tone of the dog’s bark
•  Chewing at the bite site
•  Fever
•  Loss of appetite
•  Subtle changes in behavior

Furious Phase: “Mad Dog Syndrome”

The second phase of infection usually lasts 2 to 4 days and not all rabid animals experience it. Animals that enter immediately into the final paralytic phase are sometimes said to have dumb or paralytic rabies. Animals that spend most of their diseased state in the furious phase are sometimes said to have furious rabies. An infected dog may viciously attack any moving object, person, or animal; a caged rabid dog will chew the wire, break their teeth, and try to bite a hand moving in front of the cage. Rabid cats will attack suddenly, biting and scratching. Foxes will invade yards and attack dogs, cows, and porcupines.

They may show the following signs:

• Craving to eat anything, including inedible objects
• Constant growling and barking
• Dilated pupils
• Disorientation
• Erratic behavior
• Episodes of aggression
• Facial expression showing anxiety and hyper-alertness
• Irritability
• No fear of natural enemies (e.g., wild animals may not be afraid of people)
• Restlessness
• Roaming
• Seizures
• Trembling and muscle inco-ordination

Paralytic Phase

The third and final phase of infection usually lasts for 2 to 4 days. Initial symptoms include the following:

• Appearance of choking
• Dropping of the lower jaw (in dogs)
• Inability to swallow, leading to drooling and foaming of saliva (i.e., “foaming at the mouth”)
• Paralysis of jaw, throat, and chewing muscles

Paralysis then spreads to other parts of the body, the animal becomes depressed, rapidly enters a coma and dies.

Dog poop is a problem we deal with on a daily basis. But is it dangerous? How much do you know? Is pet waste a health hazard? I did some research to get you some real facts and give you a little quiz. (hey, it’s Saturday – why not kick the weekend off right?)You might even consider yourself somewhat of an “expert” on the subject.

Answer these “True” or “False” questions and find out how much you know about dog waste and the real scoop on poop. True or False?

1. Dog poop makes good fertilizer.
2. Dog waste is just as dangerous to the environment as toxic chemicals and oil spills.
3. If you don’t live near a waterway, dog poop in your yard does not pollute the water.
4. Unscooped dog poop can infect anyone who comes into contact with the soil it touches … even years later.
5. Dog poop causes E. Coli in humans.
6. Dog poop can cause blindness in humans.Now, let’s see how you did.

Answers:

1. False. Dog poop is NOT good fertilizer. It’s toxic to your lawn! The high nutrient concentration in dog poop will burn and discolor the grass, creating “hot spots”.
2. True. Nearly two decades ago, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified pet waste as a dangerous pollutant in the same category as toxic chemicals and oil.
3. False. You may not live near water, but unscooped poop from your yard is carried by overland water flow or is washed into storm drains, ending up in far away streams, rivers and ground water.
4. True. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms pet waste can spread parasites including hookworms, ringworms, tapeworms and Salmonella. When infected dog poop comes into contact with your lawn, the poop will eventually “disappear”, but the parasite eggs can linger for years! When a human or animal comes into contact with that soil through everyday activities like walking barefoot, gardening or playing, they risk infection from those eggs … even years after the poop is gone.
5. True. Pet waste is teaming with E. Coli and other harmful bacteria including fecal coliform bacteria, which causes serious kidney disorders, intestinal illness, cramps and diarrhea in humans. (There are 23 million fecal coliform bacteria in a single gram of pet waste!)
6. True. Dog poop often contains roundworm larvae, which cause blindness. If a human ingests a roundworm larva, it can migrate through the body causing disease to the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver, heart or eyes. So when people (especially children) touch soil, dog toys or anything that has been in contact with dog feces and then touch their mouths, they can become infected.

So, how did you do? Did you have any idea dog poop could be this dangerous? Dog poop doesn’t just “wash away” or disappear. So if you’re not disposing of your dog’s waste, you’re putting yourself, your family, your dog and your water supply at risk. So make a New Year’s resolution. Always scoop your dog’s poop.One last thing – I found a safe and simple way to clean up your yard. It’s an ingenious little invention called the Doggie Doo Drain. What a great idea! It lets you put your dog’s waste directly into your sewer line, where it can do no harm. It’s simple to use. Check it out. Go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/DoggieDooDrain