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Mission Rabies celebrates milestone education achievement
The lifesaving lessons are delivered to primary school-aged children in rabies hotspot areas.

The charity has delivered lifesaving lessons to five million children.

Global health charity Mission Rabies is celebrating after educating five million children worldwide since it was founded in 2013.

The milestone forms part of the organisation's work to deliver rabies prevention lessons to schools and local community groups in rabies hotspots, such as Ghana.

Rabies kills around 59,000 people annually, the majority being children under the age of 15. It has the highest fatality rate of any infectious disease, and once symptoms show, it is already too late for treatment. 

Misison Rabies runs dog mass vaccination campaigns in India and Malawi, some of the world's worst hotspots for the diease, in collaboration with the local governments and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The aim of the educational sessions is to increase awarneess of rabies and equip individuals with the knowledge to protect themselves from dog bites and save lives. Correctly washing the wound can lower the chance of trasmission by a third, while receiving vaccination immediately after an exposure can save a child's life.

Speaking on the importance of educating children, Dr Murugan Appupillai, education director, India, said: “Many children in rabies endemic countries care for a dog in their household or play alongside street dogs on the way to and from school. Death is inevitable once symptoms develop, which is why receiving post-exposure treatment is so vital. 

"It really is a lack of awareness that kills people. If the risks are widely understood and appropriate dog bite treatment known, then rabies is 100 per cent preventable.” 

The lessons, delivered by the charity's education team, are focussed at primary school-aged children. They cover the dangers of rabies, how to be safe around dogs, and the steps to take if they receive a bite from a potentially rabid dog.

Dr Luke Gamble,CEO and founder of Mission Rabies, said: “It is amazing to reach this milestone. Education, alongside vaccination and surveillance, is one of the cornerstones in eliminating canine transmitted rabies. Explaining what rabies is, how to avoid being bitten by a dog, and what to do if you are bitten by a dog, is fundamental in protecting communities. 

“In places where PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is scarce and where treatment options are limited, then our advice can mean the difference between life and death. I’m so proud of the Mission Rabies education teams; they are inspirational to have reached five million children and they have made a real difference in protecting children who are at risk of this terrible disease.”

Image (C) Mission Rabies.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
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New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.