NEWSLETTERS

 

January 3, 2007

Title: Raccoon Rabies Epizootic
Topic: Rabies in New York City

A recent study has shown 19 raccoons, 2 skunks and 2 cats have tested positive for rabies across New York City, as of November 1, 2006. Rabies seems to be rearing it ugly head city-to-city and state-to-state in the recent months. Back in June 2006 there was a case where three stray kittens tested positive for rabies. All three kittens have pasted shortly afterward. The dead kittens sparked a few questions, being that these incidents took place in two different locations. They couldn’t find a link between the two cases and decided to write it off as being isolated situations.

Then there was a second incident, just two months later. Another stray kitten was found in the backyard of a Staten Island resident. The resident noticed the injured kitten and tried to help it. That was when the stray kitten bites the resident. The resident managed to get the kitten some medical attention. While receiving treatment for the visible leg in injury, officials discover that this kitten too has rabies, Rabies Prophylaxis. The resident had their pet dog tested and treated for the rabies. fortunately the family’s pet dog was not infected with the fatal disease.
     
After the second incident officials became more concern with Rabies Prophylaxis. Rabies in wild animals poses a risk to all other animals, as well as humans. Rabies has invaded our animals and human life on and off for many years. It was a blessing when Rabies disappeared back in the late 90’s. Officials don’t know the true source of the recurrent Rabies Prophylaxis. But they do know that they have been at least one incident in each borough of NYC. Don’t let your pets run amongst wild and unfamiliar animals. This is why it is so very important to have your pets vaccinated. As well as look for signs of rabies or just abnormal activities from your pets. You can obtain more information about this and other topics from NYC website (www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/cd/cdrab.shtml) or NYCDOHMH at 212- 788- 9830 or 311. If you believe that your pet or any animal has been infected please contact the Veterinary Public Health Service at 212- 676- 2483 or 311.

Stay In The Know

Have you ever taken your beloved pet to the Veterinary and the Veterinarian start talking to you and you feel like they are no longer speaking English? Using terms you just can’t understand know matter how many ways it is explained to you. Well help is here! I will select a few terms, tests and procedures each month so YOU can Stay In The Know


What does the word Vaccine/ Vaccination mean:

Noun / Adjective

  • Any preparation used as a preventive inoculation to confer immunity against a specific disease, usually employing an innocuous form of the disease agent, as killed or weakened bacteria or viruses, to simulate antibody production.
  • A preparation of a weakened or killed pathogen, such as a bacterium or virus, or of a portion of the pathogen’s structure that upon administration stimulates antibody production or cellular immunity against the pathogen but is incapable of causing severe infection.
  • A substance prepared from dead or living microorganisms that is introduced into the body through inoculation. The vaccine causes the development of antibodies, which produce immunity to the disease caused by the microorganism.

FYI:
Your precious kitten should be vaccinated at about 8 weeks and older, according to the AAFP Feline Vaccine Advisory Panel Report. 

How is a vaccine licensed?

A vaccine has to go through multiple tests before it can be called a vaccine.
Through the Virus, Serum and Toxin Act allows authority to the CVB to license animal vaccines intended for in treating domestic animals. The CVB makes sure that the vaccine meets all requirements for efficacy, purity, potency and safety and those personnel with appropriate qualifications can manufacture it consistently in an approved facility.