Watch out, rabies!
Rabies is a naturally occurring viral disease of animals and humans that ends in death. It can be infected from a sick animal through bites, scratches, when saliva enters through damaged skin surfaces, as well as through contact with objects contaminated with infected saliva. It is possible to get infected by contact with animal skin contaminated with the virus.
From domestic animals, dogs and cats are most often the source of infection of people, from wild animals-foxes, wolves, raccoon dogs and various rodents. In order to avoid infecting humans and pets with rabies, it is necessary to follow several rules that everyone, especially children, should remember:
- avoid contact with stray domestic and wild animals, do not try to pet them, feed them, etc.;
- do not try to catch an animal, even if it is small and seemingly harmless;
- if a wild or stray pet behaves unusually (lack of fear of a person, excessive aggression or vice versa, affectionate, the desire to gnaw and eat inedible objects, excessive salivation and other uncharacteristic behavioral reactions), do not allow contact of stray and wild animals with your pet during a walk.
- if a pet comes into contact with a stray or wild animal, it is necessary to take the animal to a veterinary clinic within 48 hours.
With any disease of the animal, and especially with the appearance of symptoms of rabies (inappropriate behavior, excessive salivation, difficulty swallowing, convulsions, photophobia), immediately contact the nearest veterinary clinic, in no case do not self-medicate. Victims of bites should be aware that the causative agent of rabies can be in the saliva of a sick animal for 10 days before the first signs of the disease appear.
In case of human contact with a wild animal, it is necessary to:
- thoroughly wash the wound, scratches and all places where saliva has got on, with a soap solution for at least 15 minutes, then with tap water;
- treat the edges of the wound with a 5% tincture of iodine;
- as soon as possible, contact the trauma center at your place of residence to a trauma doctor who will prescribe a course of preventive anti-rabies vaccinations.
Remember! Vaccinations are the only way to save yourself from rabies!
Head of the Organizational and Methodological Department
GUZ " Lipetsk Regional Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital»
Volodina Larisa Viktorovna
