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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-09-05, Page 5County foxes targets of rabies vaccine BY MONA IRWIN Adam soup has often been torlld u s cure for many (fungi. New it will be used in the fight WIN rabies in the local fox population. About 180,000 hole chicken soup -flavored cubes will rain down on most of Huron and Perth Counties between Sept. 24-30 as the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) rests a rabies vaccine bait. The vaccine drop was announced recently in an MNR release. The cubes will be • • . ' . , from two low-flyinig MNR win Otter aircraft that will take off from Sky Harbour Airport. The cubes are made up of beef talbw (a by-product of tanning) and wax, and flavored with chicken soup essence. Each cube contains a small plastic package of liquid vaccine. 'They're pea-green and they smell like chicken soup," said Ron Spurr. Initial research indicates that "foxes love them" because of the chicken soup flavoring, he said. Spurr is a resources planning and land management supervisor with the Wingham MNR office. The MNR will drop the vaccine cubes on a total of 31 test areas across southern Ontario, from the Bruce Peninsula to Lake Erie. The cubes will not be dropped near houses, towns, schools or playgrounds, said the press release. PRECAUTION Although the cubes carry labels reading 'Rabies Vaccine, Do Not Eat,' the vaccine is not harmful to humans or other animals, said the press release. However, it added that if a person accidentally eats one he or she should contact the family physician as soon as possible. "Better safe than sorry," said Spurr. The vaccine will not cause an adverse reaction (such as an allergic reaction) in most people, "but you wouldn't want to be the one person that did react badly to it," he said. Rabies is a virus which affects the nervous system and brain of mammals. Among wild animals, it is spread mainly by foxes and skunks ("unfortunately, this method of delivery is not popular with skunks," said Spurr). Rabies gets into the body through a bite or other wound. Anyone who believes they have come in contact with a rabid animal should receive medical treaunent immediately. FIRST IN ONTARIO The 'aur -drop' method of wild animal rabies control is an old story far Huron County. said Spurr. Back in the late 1970s, "this was the first test arca in Ontario" to try this method, he said. At that time researchers toed hamburger balls with the vaccine in a pill form in the middle. "But the foxes would eat the hamburgers and spit out the pills," Spunsaid. —They're not stupid." In the mid-1980s, researchers replaced the hamburger with polyurethane cubes containing a liquid vaccine. They were digcstable, but the foxes didn't actually have to eat the whole cube. Just biting into it would puncture the internal container with the vaccine in it. CROWS TOOK BAIT The polyurethane cubes proved very popular - to the wrong animals. "Crows just went nuts over them," said Spurr. "They were just tearing them to pieces." However, since birds are not susceptible to rabies, the crows' fondness for the cubes was not at all helpful. The tallow and wax cubes were developed in the late 1980s. Besides the delivery cubes, the vaccine itself has undergone research and refinement, said Spurr. "The intention is to develop an effective vaccine as well as an efficient method of delivering it," he said. The problem with many of the early vaccines was that both time and temperature changes would weaken them, making them all but useless if they were not ingested within the first few days after the drop. TRAPPERS VERY HELPFUL One of the reasons for returning to the Huron -Perth area for the drop is that there's a healthy fox population in this area, said Spurr. Another reason is the local trappers. "They're very cooperative," Spurr said. Although trappers only require the pelt, most will bring the carcasses in as well so researchers can check for the presence of the vaccine. The length of time the vaccine is effective differs according to each fox's metabolism, and also to how many cubes each ate, said Spurr. He added that foxes would not Rabies is an Rabies, which affects the nervous system and brain of mammals, is spread in the wild mainly by foxes and skunks. The rabies virus gets into the body through a bite or other wound. Rabid animals can usually be easily spotted by their abnormal behavior, says a representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). "They either become vicious and aggressive or 'dozey' and stupid," said Ron Spurr. He is a resources planning and land management supervisor with the W Ingham office of the MNR. People (especially children) should be advised never to pet a strange animal or handle a sick ANNE'S HAIRSTYLING will be CLOSED due to illness till further notice. Watch this paper for date of RE -OPENING How to get your financial life in shape. •protection for mortgage, business, family income, disability or estate: •retirement planning, RRSP's, RRIF's, and annuities; •employee benefits and pension plans •investment, GIC's, Mutual Funds and Registered Education Savings Plan •Term Deposits Call me: Tony G. Arts 107 Main St. N. Seaforth, Ont. Seaforth S271794 lA udns: 02.1841 SunLife WHO YA GONNA CALL? - This yellowjacket buster wore a bee mask as he busted up a nest of the angry stingers from the roof of a Seaforth house. Oxford photo. suffer ill effects no matter how much vaccine they ingested. He added, however, that this is not a reliable method for protecting domestic animals against rabies, partly because of the variety in sizes among domestic animals. Pets or stock animals should receive their annual rabies shots from a veterinarian. unpredictable disease, says expert or dead animal. They should report sick or dead animals to their parents, who should contact local authorities immediately. "Rabies is unpredictable," added Spurr. 'Hot -spots' of the disease can flare up anywhere, then die out and flare up somewhere else. "And if it gets into a large herd of cattle or other domestic animals, the cost to the farmer is incredible," he added. A press release from the MNR said rabies costs Ontario $26 million each year. That covers the costs of diagnosis, pet vaccination, compensation to farmers for loss of livestock, quarantine costs, research, and the treatment of humans who have come in contact with rabid animals. Anyone who believes they have come in contact with a rabid animal should clean the wound with soap and water and get to a doctor or hospital emergency ward immediately. The series of extremely painful stomach injections once administered are no longer used, said Spurr. Today people receive five shots of vaccine in the arm or shoulder. The MNR press release said between 2,000-2,500 Ontarians receive anti -rabies vaccine each year because of contact with a rabid animal. In humans, rabies symptoms include irritation at the site of srovwr r225 3-34 .34ct. Center Diamond 6 Shoulder Diamonds Req. S2775. Special $1 945 • A DU -'ECT SAVINGS OF' OVER $800.00 A,istet's hard select and pun'hnve their 'morula t om world markets. Own handr-rrm f t a,,t a or ;eRings, so that them era, bring uM1 'maw' Ilk, thirst •.tyles vary Fry .torr H A DC AFT lei ANSTETT JiMIEILUIS UNITE* • Ca_. Ialw r am gm CtSVMP. WD. IRNORflt R. UMW 111111111Mit 1400l1111CH the bite, general excitability and irritability, difficulty in swallowing, and paralysis just prior to death. Once the symptoms appear, which may be anywhere from two weeks to a year after contact, medical treatment is ineffective, and the victim almost always dies. toil NuMON EXPOSiiOR. 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Interior Decorator On Staff CAMPBELL'S HOME D. 527-1420 Main Street CENTRE SEAFORTH ELECT KEN CAMPBELL FOR MPP HURON This is the last opportunity, before the election that I will have to bring my message to you the electors of Huron County. While you have been bombarded with facts, figures and endless promises, let's not forget the issues. I believe t.iat it is time for a common sense approach to government so that we can deal effectively with such issues as increasing property taxes, waste management, transfer payments to municipalities, education funding, and agricultural policies. I am seeking your support as your MPP in Huron because I believe in Huron County and Ontario and I know that I can make a contribution at Queen's Park. CAMPBELL KENPflO(: RE93NE If you need more information or help to get to the polls on election day please call... KEN CAMPBELL CAMPAIGN OFFICE or KEN CAMPBELL COMMITTEE ROOMS 11 Albert Street, Clinton seeform 527-2836 Goderich 524-1169 482-5727 wingham 357-1623 Exeter 236-3177 YOUR SUPPORT WOULD BE APPRECIATED ON SEPTEMBER 6 This Massage Sponsored By The Huron Progressive ConservstIve Association