The Lions Club of Jasper worked with Wayside Animal Clinic last Saturday to host a drive-through rabies clinic just days after the first reported case in Pickens County this year.
In addition to the rabid fox that attacked two Pickens County dogs on May 7th, another rabid fox attacked a Gilmer County man on May 8th, reports the North Georgia Health District.
Dr. Michael McGhee of Wayside Animal Clinic was administering the rabies shots. “A lot of people don’t bring their pets to the vet, so it’s a public service,” he says. The shots were offered at the discount price of $10 per pet, which he thought would help during this time of economic downturn. The clinic is offered yearly, said Lions Club member Gerald Wade. Also available at the clinic were parvo vaccinations.
Those seeking rabies vaccinations for their pets simply pulled up to the front of the school and paid the fee for each pet they needed shots for, and then waited in line in their vehicles. McGhee directed traffic to come to him, and often just leaned into open car windows to give a dog or cat the shot.
The line moved fast, with McGhee walking up to animals and counting down “three, two , one,” as he administered the shots. Some pets, like Meeka, the Siberian Husky who locked owner Tim Raynes out of his truck while he was paying, seemed happy to be mischievous.
The clinic was listed to run from 9 a.m. to noon on May 16th, but pet owners were already lined up and their pets getting shots by 8:50 a.m. McGhee came prepared to administer 300 rabies shots, but ended up administering 317 rabies vaccinations and 95 parvo vaccinations. He says they typically administer between 200 and 300 rabies vaccinations per event.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all domestic animals should be vaccinated against rabies. If you have been bitten by an animal, immediately wash the wound thoroughly, report the case to the health department, and consult a physician. If the animal is a pet and hasn’t appeared to be ill, it should be confined for 10 days for observation. If it is wild or has been ill, it should be tested if possible. Rabies is transmitted when saliva or brain/nervous tissue is introduced into open cuts or bites, or into mucous membranes such as the mouth or eyes.
Any mammal can get rabies, but the most common are raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, cattle, dogs, and cats. Common warning signs include unprovoked attacks, difficulty moving, increased saliva, and abnormal behavior.
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| PHOTO BY SNEED COLLINS |
| Veterinarian Michael McGhee (second from right) administers a rabies vaccination at the drive through rabies clinic at Jasper Middle School on May 16th. |
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