The Rabies Threat

In countries with rabies, the dog is not always man's best friend, and rabies is as old 500 years before Christ. Aristotle described the disease caught from being bitten by a mad dog. In man, it's called hydrophobia. In animals, rabies. As early as 1831, the British government drafted a bill to prevent the spread of canine madness. Many animals, apart from dogs and cats, contract rabies. In fact, rabies in wild animals is natural, and it's from wild creatures that domestic animals contract the disease. In 1866, the famous royal deer in England's Richmond Park suffered the disease. It's no respecter of animal or person. It may strike anywhere at any time. In an 18-year period ending in 1903, in England alone, 173 people died from hydrophobia, and nearly 3,000 domestic pets died of rabies. Foxes are particularly dangerous carriers of the disease. When foxes contract rabies, they become aggressive and start to invade settlements in areas they would normally avoid, spreading the deadly virus. 1940, rabies discovered to be present among foxes in Poland. 1948, the disease spread from the Polish and Russian frontiers into Czechoslovakia. 1960, the disease spreads on into the foxes of Austria and Germany, and later Denmark. For some unknown reason, the Netherlands escapes attack. But then, Belgium and Switzerland report outbreaks of rabies. 1968, rabies invades France and is advancing at 30 km each year. Rabies has been recorded in many different species of animals, and is found naturally in the wild. If rabies found its way into Australia, what would be the effect on our wildlife? What price preservation then? The infection passes undetected in the wild animals, and is passed on to domestic pets. And then, to humans. The classic picture, a boy with his dog. The unseen third presence is rabies. If you live in a country with the disease, its shadow is always there. Unfortunately, vaccination is still not the complete answer to these fears. When a person who hasn't been vaccinated is bitten by a rabid animal, it can be treated before the onset of symptoms, but the treatment is very unpleasant and can have serious side effects. Preventative vaccination is not always effective and again can have serious side effects. Each year in Central and South America, hundreds of thousands of cattle die from rabies. The culprit is the vampire bat, which spreads the disease when lapping blood from a wound. It's thought that our own fruit-eating bats could become a problem and carry the disease if rabies ever got a toehold in Australia. Apart from the needless suffering, just how many millions of dollars would rabies cost each year? 170 million sheep and lambs produce over 700,000 tons of meat every year. We are now the world's largest exporter of beef. 30 million cattle produce almost 1 and 1/2 million tons of beef annually. The price we would pay for rabies is incalculable. Despite mineral wealth, the backbone of our economy is still primary produce. We Australians eat almost 240 lb of meat annually. If rabies came to Australia, how much of that meat would end up not on the barbecue, but in a cremation pit? Our livestock are just as much a national resource as our minerals and crude oil. Their need for protection and careful husbandry is no less. Humans would die, too. In many cases, it would be small children who would suffer. The number of deaths wouldn't be great. The number of painful vaccinations would run into hundreds of thousands. This then is why the Department of Health must be so strict about the importation of animals to this country. From 1922 to 1969, a considerable traffic of cats and dogs between the United Kingdom and Australia was allowed. In 1969, three dogs died from rabies in England. Australia placed a temporary ban on domestic pets from the United Kingdom. Following an inquiry, this was lifted, but entry is now under more stringent conditions. These strict conditions are not a matter of bureaucracy gone mad. They are logical and humane limitations. >> One kindly lady trying to smuggle her lifelong pet into the country may not seem very important. Taking that pet from her may seem inhuman. But measured against the effects of rabies, which is right? The selfish act of a single person could literally change our way of life. Our laws regarding the importation of domestic pets, while strict, are not unkind. >> Mhm, that one's nice and clean. It's good. Every dog which arrives at the quarantine station is submitted to a careful examination, not only for the quarantinable diseases which we are trying to keep out of this country, but to establish its general health and condition. All right, Kevin, put him away now. We haven't much trouble with this one. >> Come on, pup. This little Yorkshire terrier called Popsy has come all the way from England with her family. We to sure that she's a bit happier during her stay in quarantine, they've sent along a teddy bear to keep her company. Some people will send toys, others they send articles of clothing such as slippers or shoes or old dresses or jumpers. Others ring up two or three times a week to make sure that the dog's happy and contented. And while still others write letters from time to time to the dogs asking how they are. These two cats have come from England. Uh they're the family pets. The people who brought them over, they're doing their 9 months quarantine. The grass is put in so that the cats can have it when they want it. Without it, they wouldn't do so well. This dog's been fed a special milk diet and lots of supplements and vitamins every day because she's got a fairly large litter of pups and she needs the additional vitamins to give a good support and plenty of calcium etc. >> The animals' owners are allowed to visit their pets and keep alive their friendship. >> Whenever an animal dies in a quarantine station, the cause of death is first investigated by the local Department of Agriculture. At the same time, brain specimens are sent here to the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories for specific tests for rabies. On arrival of the specimen here, we carry out a number of tests. First of all, we have microscopic tests in which we look for the telltale footprints of the rabies virus in the brain specimens under the microscope. These tests are very rapid and we can have a fairly certain diagnosis within hours of receiving the specimen here. However, to be absolutely certain of the diagnosis, we must be able to isolate the rabies virus from the brain if it is present. This we do by inoculating brain suspensions into mice. If rabies virus is present, the mice eventually get sick and die. However, this test takes several weeks to carry out. >> Good afternoon, the Andy dog. Yes. Well, I'm terribly sorry. We're booked out this afternoon, but you could bring him in uh around midday tomorrow. What breed of dog do you have? A poodle. A miniature poodle. Mhm. And you want to get him cut. I think he was in a short lamb last time, wasn't he? Short on the body and long on the legs. Well, you could put him into a a fluffy lamb. This is the the same length all over, and it's much warmer for winter. And the head shape, no, that's exactly the same. Exactly the same. But very fluffy, and it keeps him warm. >> What to some is an excess of affection to others is a just tribute. It underlines the special bond between animal lovers and their pets. At least in Australia, none of these headstones read died from rabies. In the 1860s, there were four reported incidents of rabies in Australia. These cases were found in Tasmania, but were never completely confirmed. In one incident, a boy was bitten by a neighbor's dog. Three weeks later, he died screaming violently, convulsed, and with hallucinations. It has only happened once. It could happen again and again. If it did, then our way of life would be irrevocably changed. It would be an economic disaster, but more importantly, the neighbor's dog, your own cat, all animals would have the unseen presence behind them. The shadow of rabies. When the stakes are so high, whatever the odds, you just don't dare gamble.