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rabies-related lyssaviruses from bats. Conversely, in dog-rabies endemic
countries government veterinarians have the responsibility to organize,
direct, and implement MDV programs aimed at achieving a 70% vaccination coverage in the at-risk dog population. This at-risk target population
is typically free roaming dogs, and thus, not the target market for private
veterinarians. However, by engaging the community and vaccinating/
sterilizing free roaming dogs (some being owned and others ownerless)
community trust can be built, and a better understanding of the benefits of
veterinary intervention can be developed. By building trust and concurrently educating the community about aspects of responsible dog ownership,
owners who left their dogs to roam may become more engaged with
their dog and confine, or partially confine, their animal to their property.
With this improved community trust and responsible dog ownership, dog
owners are more likely to consent to medical advice and examination from
veterinary practitioners and be more likely to bring their pets for future
consultation – particularly in those areas where there may be misconceptions about veterinary practice or animal diseases like rabies, canine
distemper, and others. Furthermore, owners may be more likely to be able
to handle their animal after building a relationship with their dog, based
on the education and awareness information shared by the veterinarian.
This has a knock-on benefit, by reducing the number of free roaming dogs
(thus reducing the workload for government veterinarians) and building a
customer-base for private practitioners. Thus, while there is often friction
between government veterinarians and private practitioners, the goal to
eliminate dog-mediated rabies should remain the same, as this is clearly
beneficial to both parties.
While MDV remains critical to the success of rabies elimination and is
the most important role of both private and government veterinarians
in rabies endemic countries, education, community sensitization, and
awareness are all essential aspects that support, and contribute towards,
the success of MDV campaigns. In dog rabies-free countries, community
sensitization and awareness remain essential to maintaining vigilance
and freedom from the disease, especially in those countries where wildlife
vectors (including rabies-related lyssaviruses in bats) exist. It is essential
that the public are aware of the steps needed in the case of an exposure,
that they continue to ensure that their dogs are vaccinated, and that dog
adoptions and rescues from other countries must adhere to the appropriate regulations before import. Maintaining a herd immunity in the dog
population is challenging when the risk appears insignificant but is essential to ensure the continued safety of both the local human and animal
populations, including wildlife and endangered species that may be placed
at-risk with the re-introduction of the disease.
Education helps communities to better understand the disease, the risks
that it poses, the means of disease transmission, and the means by which
the disease can be prevented. Therefore, education helps to address
vaccination hesitancy and myths and misconceptions about both the
disease and the preventative measures. Thus, education is required in
both rabies-free and rabies-endemic countries to ensure that a suitable
protective vaccination coverage is achieved and that owners are guided
towards best practice and responsible dog ownership. The devastating effects of fake news, myths, and vaccine hesitancy have been evident in the
current COVID-19 pandemic and have also resulted in the re-emergence
of preventable diseases such as measles. Similarly, for rabies, vaccine
hesitancy arises due to various myths and misconceptions and need to be
addressed through effective education interventions.
Lastly, veterinarians must contribute to reliable rabies surveillance to ensure that cases are detected and reported, and that adequate vaccination
coverage is achieved or maintained. This includes reporting of suspect
and probable cases of rabies, as well as the submission of samples to laboratories for diagnosis. In particular, the adequate tracking and reporting
of vaccinations is often neglected, resulting in a lack of understanding of
areas requiring further vaccination to achieve the required coverage for
rabies elimination. Both private and government veterinarians are critical
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for rabies surveillance to ensure that an adequate surveillance network is
established and functioning.
While the primary role of both private and government veterinarians remains clear – the need for continued and sustained vaccination of at-risk
dog populations – there are multiple other critical activities that these professionals play in the efforts to control and eliminate rabies. While these
activities contribute to an increased workload on an already overburdened
profession, the benefits – both in terms of reducing future workload, as
well as the financial benefits - of these activities outweigh the demands,
as countries progress towards achieving dog rabies elimination.
References:
1. Vega S, Lorenzo-Rebenaque L, Marin C, Domingo R, Fariñas F.
Tackling the Threat of Rabies Reintroduction in Europe. Front Vet Sci.
2021;7:613712. doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.613712