Shocking !!! Increasing cases of dog and cat bites in Pune, raises concerns
Shocking !!! Increasing cases of dog and cat bites in Pune, raises concerns
With increasing cases of dog and cat bites in Pune, precautions are now to be taken to avoid Rabies infection. It is also reported that not only dog bites but also cat bites have increased, causing worry amongst the citizens.
According to Dr. Sarika Funde, Veterinary Superintendent, Pune Municipal Corporation, she said, “Minor and major dog bites are increasing in every area of Pune city. Citizens must take utmost care if they are bitten by a stray or a pet dog and immediately seek medical treatment.
If one is ever bitten by a dog or a cat, they should immediately wash the wound multiple times with cold water and visit the doctor as soon as possible to get the post-bite vaccination done.”
She further added by saying that “Not every dog bite can result in rabies, but if one is experiencing symptoms such as hydrophobia or paralysis after or during your post-bite vaccination, then visit a doctor.”
Pune Municipal Corporation, along with an NGO named “Rescue” has initiated a campaign to vaccinate every dog in the area where a dog bite or rabies case is detected.
In addition to this, a mass drive is also being implemented for vaccination with the aim of making Pune rabies-free by the year 2023, as implemented by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to the state epidemic officer, “In 2023, there were 8,09,415 recorded dog bite cases compared to 60,543 cat bite cases out of total animals, totaling the number to 9,05,032.”
Amidst this, the government of Maharashtra formed a joint sharing Rabies committee, consisting of various stakeholders such as the district collector, the municipal commissioner, the district health officer, and so on. The formation of such a high-profile committee shows the urge to resolve cases of dog and cat bites. Moreover, the best way to prevent this is by making sure that before getting a pet home, you seek a preventive exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which involves prevention against animal bites. And if one suffers from an animal bite, they should immediately start with a post-dog bite vaccination by visiting a doctor.
