Vet offers low-cost rabies vaccines to raise awareness

Ontario's 13 confirmed rabies cases since December, including three cases involving raccoons in Hamilton and a calf in Perth County, have prompted a Waterloo veterinarian to try to immunizeas many pets as possible against the virus.

Ministry of Natural Resources staff and public health authorities are working to contain the outbreak in the wildby dropping vaccine-laced baitand quarantining animals that may have come in contact with the virus. For animals that contract the virus, rabies is usuallyfatal.

But vet Mara Ashbyis working to prevent the disease's spread in petsby offering a low-cost vaccination clinic, and says that it can help people too, in an interview withtheCBC'sCraig Norris onThe Morning Edition on Thursday.

Pet vaccinationprotects humans

Ashby isa veterinarian with the Carriage Crossing Animal Hospital in Waterloo, andpoints out that two unvaccinated dogs were exposed to the rabid raccoons in Hamilton. A decision was made not to destroy the dogs, but they have been placed in isolation untilthey are free of rabies.

Ashbysays thatpeople are most likely to contract rabies from a pet that has come in contact with wildlife.

"The fact is, there's no such thing as an exclusively indoor cat," saysAshby.

"During their lifetime theymay escape or encounter bats or raccoons that break into the home,"she said. "We know that one in four pet owners only takes their pets to a veterinarianfor emergencies, meaning the pet is not being vaccinated against rabies,"she pointed out.

Herd immunity

Ashby believes there is a lack of understanding about how vaccines work. She stresses that for example,animal rabiesand humanflu vaccines are very different in their efficacy and perceived benefits.

However, the goal of both medical interventionsis toprotect"the herd." She says the herd includes all mammals that means humans too but sincemany peopledon'tvaccinate pets against rabies, herd immunity isn't as good as it should be.

The one-day clinic at Ashby'sanimal hospitalin Waterloo runs Sunday (January 17th) by appointment only. The vaccines are being offered at the reduced rate of$25. Pets must be in acarrier or on a leash.