Animals and Shelters

arianex33

Hey all!

Well, I'm going to Pune tomorrow,
pretty excited and last week I got my jabs.

The doctor made me realise something though.... I can't really get a vaccine against rabbies, I can only get one that will give me 12 safe hours. So this still worries me...

Do you think I should worry, considering I want to volunteer in a shelter???

The last thing I want is to get rabbies, but it makes me sad thinking the only reason I couldnt work there just because I MIGHT get rabbies....

Also, the lady said I'd have to go to the clinic, if I did get it, but I dont want rabbies! not even for 5 hours!!

Will I be able to work??

Thanks so much! You guys are like my only source of information about this so far!

camelgirl

There are many threads with alot of information about rabies vaccination. It's a lot more complicated than you seem to realize and you should strongly consider getting the pre-exposure course if you plan to work with any animals.

Use the Search above and type rabies vaccine, then browse the threads.

I have copied one of my responses for you here:

I want to update the technical information about Pre and Post Exposure Rabies shots which I got from a travel medicine physician. Hope I can make it clear!
First, the Pre-exposure rabies is 3 shots spaced over a period of a few weeks.

IF you get them you don't need a hyper immune globulin shot and you only need 2 rabies vaccine shots (obviously this is ONLY if you are exposed to rabies).

IF you don't get the pre-exposure 3 shots and you are exposed to rabies you HAVE TO get one shot of hyper immune globulin 1/2 directly into the wound and 1/2 in your arm (or elsewhere on your body) PLUS 5 rabies vaccine shots.

Lastly, all the rabies vaccines (pre and post exposure) are available in India at a very inexpensive price and are made by the same pharmaceutical companies that make the very expensive stuff. If you were going to be in one place for a few weeks, you could easily get the pre-exposure vaccine.

That's all I know.... now you do also! I don't have any connection with any pharmaceutical company but I have had the 3 pre-exposure shots!!

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birds

Like Camelgirl says the medical side of it is a bit complicated but the basic rules are not.

There are four categories for who there is more risk:

- those far away from pharmacies and doctors so can not get the shots
- those who are too poor to buy the shots (cost Rs.400 per shot)
- those who are not informed/know what to do and thus do nothing
- those who are not in the above three but so stupid not to take shots after they have been bitten by an unknown dog.

Basically for people who get bitten while in an urban area with access to pharmacies and doctors there is no problem as long as they go to the doctor within 12 hours.

Even if you have not had the pre-exposure shots there is no problem if you go to the doctor immediately. In such case you will get 5 shots over a period of a month. If you had the 3 pre-exposure shots you will get only two.

I guess you have read: http://www.indiamike.com/india/dogs-...o-know-t59575/

Noodle

Hi arianex33!

If you're still checking in here, I can recommend Dr Mandhare in Pune, Koregaon Park, North Main Road corner to Lane D, to you. He does all kinds of vaccinations including Rabies. I was once bitten by a bat and called him immediately. He came especially to see me (it was 11pm at night) and gave me the first shot immediately. His phone number is, clinic: 26138811, mobile: 9822269303.

Good luck!

Noodle

__________________
If in hole
stop digging.

Indian saying

birds

Hi Noodle,

Good to see you back on line. Out of curiosity, how did you get bitten by a bat?

Nick-H

A brain cell tells me that the last recorded human death in UK was the result of a bat bite.

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

birds

I don't get this, you mean nobody has died since .

Nick-H

It's wonderful what eradicating rabies did!

Err, let me add the missing words...

A brain cell tells me that the last recorded human death from Rabies in UK was the result of a bat bite.

Damn that brain cell!

arianex33

ahh thanks for that Camelgirl and Birds.

I'm now in Pune.. a bit jet lagged though I should say :P
I've seen many stray dogs.. or animals in general.. It makes me sad because they look sad themselves and no one seems to really care either. But I don't want to touch them because I don't know how they will react. I'd really like to help though!

Yeh, I've never really been exposed to rabies, but it shouldn't make me restrain from volunteering though..right??

I guess I should just be ready at any time and get my pre shot.

Thanks a lot for the for the phone numbers, Noodle, I'll make sure I go this week.

So in the next 2 weeks I'll try and find a place I can volunteer at. If anyone has an opportunity for me, let me know!!

arianex33

Also, this might sound like a silly question, but why do many stray dogs lay in the middle of the street?

skk

For the same reason that people walk on the road and not the sidewalk nor the gutter

That's where there is room !

btw, hope you find Pune interesting. Its my childhood home from once upon a time.

-skk

Noodle

Hi all!

@ bird: I got bitten by a bat which I had rescued out of the claws of my cat

Welcome to Pune arianex33! A few pages back in this thread we discussed several shelters here in Pune, have a look. Maybe you can help in one of them.

Yes, it looks as if nobody cares, but there are some people who feed streetdogs. In fact, right in the building where Dr Mandhare is (I think on the 3rd floor) lives a family who for many years has been cooking chicken and rice for the dozen or so streetdogs in that vicinity on a daily basis. Every night they cook and feed. They would appreciate a donation (although they are no registered charity or anything), as they are certainly not well-off people.

Many Indians also put out leftover food for street dogs.

We have spayed the 3 females in our street this year. And we feed them once a day, and vaccinate for rabies.

But most Indians just don't have the means to do more than leaving table scraps for them.

Where are you from, arianex?

Have a good time! Noodle

arianex33

Well I'm glad to know that some people actually do something for the dogs :P From what I saw, it didn't seem like a lot of people cared. And I guess for many of them stray dogs are just a daily thing to see...

I'm moving in my apartment on sunday, and then I'll be settled and I'll have more time.
I don't know how I'll get more used to seeing the stay, because even today I saw a puppy get kicked by a man and another one that was really skinny and dead... I was about to cry.

I'm from Canada, so this is pretty new to me.
My boyfriend and I will donate and hopefully I'll find somewhere to volunteer soon, it will make me feel better hehe
Also there might be a language issue when I try and contact people but I'll see about that :P

What about the cows and the goats? they seems to be doing a bit better, but maybe I'm wrong.

Oh and where are most people in this forum from? India?

arianex33

Thanks guys! I keep thinking thye might get hit though, and everyday when I walk, I see the same dogs at the same places.
Do they tend to be friendly to humans? I know sometimes if I look at one for a while, it will start following me... I just don't know what to do though..

Yes, so far I like Pune a lot. Still need some getting used to, but I like it more and more everyday!

skk

Nope, they won't get hit - In the main, they have street-sense and people will honk and slow down and steer round them in extremis. Unlike Turkey, as per Brian Sewell in "South from Ephesus" anyway, people don't deliberately set out to to hit the dogs on the road. BTW, I've never seen the stuff that Brian Sewell refers to in his book on Turkey - but I won't discount it - he clearly knows and loves Turkey, warts and all - as do I.

Friendly to humans, you bet - in the main. Though there are some mean ones.. I remember this particular one, yellow mean eyes, that scared me witless as a kid - I swear he lay in wait for me - when it was my rare turn to get the rarely bought bread from the Irani bakery - made a freakin' beeline for me as I ran back home, clutching the loaf; I tried all sorts of tactics, outstare him, don't look at him, go the OTHER way round the block - nope the bugger lay in wait for me outside the Irani bakery - say 4 times a year - until I either got bigger or the absurdity of intent directed at ME, in such a rare occurrence hit me. It just stopped after that.

Enjoy Pune. I'm glad you do stuff for animals there. I do it here - donate to the Humane Society I mean.

-skk