Pet-related activities in Danao today

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Government is aiming to make the entire province rabies-free by 2016 as it joined the celebration of World Rabies Day yesterday.  In line with this worldwide fight against rabies, the province has slated activities for tomorrow, September 30, in Danao City.

The activities include a dog walk, rabies information education campaign, and a film showing about rabies that will be held at the Danao Civic Center.

For the dog walk, participants will get the opportunity to win awards from the province such as Best in Dog-Owner Tandem and Best in Costume. It is open to all dog owners in Danao City, whether their pets are pure breed or Asong Pinoy (native).

The Provincial Veterinarian Office will also conduct free veterinary services such as consultation, deworming, vitamins supplementation, spaying and neutering and anti-rabies vaccination.

There will also be veterinarians to administer health services specifically for dogs and cats.

PVO animal public health division chief Dr. Ann Gabona said the main purpose of the program is to create awareness about the deadly and disease as part of a nationwide campaign for a rabies-free Philippines.

“We are aiming for a rabies-free Cebu in 2016 and the entire country in 2020,” she said in a report at the Cebu Provincial Government official website.

Last March, the province also celebrated the national rabies awareness month and the provincial rabies awareness month in June where free vaccinations were conducted.

Gabona explained rabies is no longer curable once a person, who is bitten by a rabies-infected animal, has already shown some of the disease’s symptoms. To prevent the arrival of the symptoms, Gabona said, it is important for those who are bitten by dogs or cats to immediately and properly treat the wound.

She further provided reminders for immediate actions and in dealing with the dog and cat bites. She said victim should first wash the wound with running water for 10 to 15 minutes, apply tincture of iodine to the wound, go to the health center for medical treatment including vaccination, and report the biting incident to the city or town veterinarian for observation of the animal/s for 15 days.

According to the World Health  Organization, the incubation pe-riod for rabies is typically two to three months; however, this could also vary from five days to several years. Initial symptoms of rabies are usually non-specific. Often there will be fever, pain or unusual unexplained tingling, and pricking or burning sensation at the wound site. As the virus spreads through the central nervous system, progressive, fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.

Cebu is currently ranked third in the number of animal rabies cases countrywide.

Capitol agricultural technicianLeah Caye-tanosaid in 2013, there were 42 positive canine rabies cases reported in the entire Cebu.  Of  the 42 cases, 31 came from the urbanized cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue.

In the same year, three suspected positive human rabies cases were recorded each from the cities of Toledo, Bogo and Naga.

This year, 29 cases of animal rabies were reported as of this writing; 24 of the cases came from the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu.

In Cebu province, the Camotes group of islands, which has four towns; and Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan town, were already declared rabies-free in 2011.

The Capitol is now recommending the inclusion of Bantayan Island in the north and Badian Island in the south in the rabies free zone list of the Department of Health and Department of Agriculture.

Provincial Veterinarian Mary Rose Vincoy earlier explained that both LGUs recorded no dog and human rabies cases for the past two years and have been observing the international requirement of 70 percent vaccination coverage for the total dog population in their area.  (FREEMAN)