Page 34 - Fourways Gardens September 2021

Health & Wellness

WHETHER fURIOUS

OR pARALYTIC,

RAbIES IS NO jOKE

B y c a sey B R o wn

Rabies is an infectious neurological disease that attacks the From there, the disease either progresses
brain and, if not caught early, it is almost always fatal to to Furious Rabies or Paralytic Rabies.
both people and animals. In Furious Rabies, the animal becomes
restless and irritable. It may become over-
ontrary to popular belief, the not only to dogs and cats, but extends sensitive to light, noise and movement,
most fatal disease known to to cows and horses, too. The kinds of causing it to become aggressive. In
mankind is not the COVID-19 wild animals that might be carriers in Paralytic Rabies, the animal becomes
Cvirus – it’s rabies. This is our countryside would be jackals, foxes, lethargic and may withdraw to a quiet,
according to Jacqueline Weyer, Senior badgers, monkeys and bats, amongst dark place.
Medical Scientist at the National Institute others.
of Communicable Diseases (NICD). Once As the disease takes hold, the animal will
the symptoms become evident, there The disease is transmitted through the struggle to walk and will have seizures.
is no cure, she says. This applies to all saliva of an infected animal that either When the virus attacks the spinal cord and
mammals, including humans. enters the victim’s body through a bite or brain, the animal will become paralysed
a scratch, or via the mucous membrane of and will eventually die.
It’s not all doom and gloom, however, as the eyes, nose or mouth. The problem is,
rabies is preventable, provided animals the virus can lie dormant in the victim’s In humans, the initial symptoms include
receive regular rabies vaccinations. body for weeks (possibly up to six months) muscular pain, fever, fatigue, loss of
before the symptoms become evident. appetite and dizziness. The victim
HOW IS RABIES TRANSMITTED? becomes hydrophobic (fearing water) and
Domestic animals will most likely contract WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? begins to hallucinate. If the infection was
the disease through a bite from a wild In animals, one of the most tell-tale signs via a wound, a feeling of pins and needles
animal. If they are allowed to run freely on is foaming at the mouth or excessive may be felt at the site of the wound.
a farm or in a game reserve, they may be drooling. The animal will have difficulty As with animals, the victim will have
attacked by a rabid animal. This applies swallowing and may develop a fever. difficulty swallowing and will experience

Fourways Gardens • 32 • September 2021