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Stray dogs.

Discussion in 'General Chit Chat' started by Druk1, May 20, 2019.

  1. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

    Norwegian tourist, 24, dies of rabies after she's bitten by a puppy she rescued while on holiday in the Philippines
    • Birgitte Kallestad died Monday after contracting rabies from a dog she rescued
    • She and her friends sustained minor cuts and bites while playing with the puppy
    • The health worker began to feel unwell weeks after returning home to Norway
    • Doctors were stumped as rabies hasn't occurred in mainland Norway since 1815
    • Her family want rabies vaccines to become compulsory for the Philippines
    • A Norwegian tourist has died of rabies after being bitten by a stray dog she rescued from the street in the Philippines.

      Birgitte Kallestad, 24, from Hordaland on the Norwegian west coast, died on Monday night - more than two months after coming into contact with the dog while travelling with friends in February.

      According to a statement from Birgitte's family, the group were out riding mopeds when they came across a stray puppy on the side of the road, which Birgitte carried into her basket and took back to the resort where she was staying.
    • After washing and grooming the dog, Birgitte and her friends played with it in the garden.

      Birgitte's family said everyone sustained minor bites and scratches from the dog during this time - as most puppy owners do.

      Birgitte, who was a health worker employed at Førde central hospital, patched up and sterilized the scrapes herself.

      The cuts were so small that nobody saw the need for further medical supervision, the family said.

      It was only after the 24-year-old had returned home to Norway that she began to feel unwell.

      Initial symptoms of rabies include a fever and headaches, but as the disease worsens patients can suffer hallucinations, muscle spasms and respiratory failure.
    • Doctors struggled to diagnose the problem and no one, not even Birgitte herself, connected her illness to the dog bite.

      It has been over 200 years since rabies was last detected on the Norwegian mainland.

      She was hospitalized several times as her condition worsened, before eventually being admitted full time, the family said.



      Birgitte began to feel unwell weeks after returning home from the Philippines

      Finally, a doctor in the hospital in Førde suspected that Birgitte's symptoms were signs of rabies.

      Samples sent to the Public Health Authority in Sweden confirmed these suspicions on Saturday.

      Neither Birgitte nor anyone she was travelling with had been inoculated against the disease, because it is not on the list of vaccines required for the Philippines unless you plan to travel to areas with poor hygiene and sanitation.

      Birgitte's family are now campaigning for rabies to be included on the program for the Philippines and other places where it is is possible to contract the disease from street animals.
    • 'Our dear Birgitte loved animals,' a family spokesperson said.

      'Our fear is that this will happen to others who have a warm heart like her. We want this vaccine to be included in the program for places where it can be rabies, and that people become aware of the dangers.'

      'If we manage to achieve this, the death of our sunbeam can save others.'

      Birgitte died on Monday night, eight days after being admitted to the hospital where she worked.
    • 'It's a terribly heavy case and a strain for the family,' infectious disease consultant Jens Eikås told VG.

      The others who were on the trip and who were also in contact with the dog have been alerted and Norway's health trust has so far been in contact with 77 people who have been in contact with the Birgitte.

      Of these, 31 have been vaccinated, according to local media.
    • https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...rescuing-street-puppy-Philippine-holiday.html
    • Informative Informative x 1
  2. oss
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    oss Somewhere Staff Member

    My daughter got bitten by a dog about 4 or 5 years ago, I had them take her straight to hospital for Anti Rabies injections which were not cheap at the time.

    I should have got her a booster two years later but could not afford it at the time so if it happens again it's the full treatment again.

    This is a tragic case.
    • Agree Agree x 3
  3. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

    My son was also bitten in the PI and had the anti-rabies vaccine.One of the last known cases of rabies death in the UK also originated in the PI,when I used to go off the beaten track in Mindanao I always carried a small catapult to ward off barking street dogs that charge up barking when your on a village track.
    • Like Like x 1
  4. Bootsonground
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    Bootsonground Guest

    This has given me another idea..Instead of sign reading "Beware of dog" I might change it to
    BEWARE OF suspected RABID DOG. (with visayan translation)
    R.I.P. Birgitte Kallestad.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  5. graham59
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    graham59 Banned

    The dogs and cats in the Phils are little more than vermin. My property is proofed against them.. well, certainly the dogs.

    Here in the provinces they do at least offer free (anti) rabies vaccines for these useless, noisy creatures.
    • Agree Agree x 3
  6. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    And to think there are dog rehoming societies operating in the UK that import dogs..often feral.. and hand them over to unsuspecting new owners..for a hefty fee of course. Mine was found in southern Ireland. Total nightmare. Just a wild animal. Ive heard of another from Thailand. Street dogs. Its just crazy.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  7. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

    Theres kids around the world in real dire need of food,shelter,clothing and stability and some airy-fairy cuddly-wuddly NGO charities are importing dogs,the world really has gone mad.
    • Agree Agree x 3
  8. aposhark
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    aposhark Well-Known Member Lifetime Member

    Such a sad story.
    I have picked up puppies over there and never once thought about rabies.
    Will make sure my kids are careful too on our next visit.
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  9. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

    • Agree Agree x 1
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  10. DavidAlma
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    DavidAlma Well-Known Member

    A neighbour of ours in Davao, a fellow Brit, died of rabies about 3 months ago. He was on a trip out side the city and was nipped by a stray puppy. He insisted that all his rabies shots were up to date and refused to have any more. Crazy, he had recently retired here with his Filipina wife, built a beautiful house in our subdivision where he played golf most days, all gone because of a puppy bite.
    • Informative Informative x 3
  11. Druk1
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    Druk1 Well-Known Member

    Bad things happen, all those street curs and mangy moggies should be humamely destroyed, one of the last people in the UK who died of rabies was a Filipino living here and working as a postman, went to the PI on holiday and was bitten by a dog, came back here and snuffed it. Last year I trekked in the himalayas, as I was entering villages I was always greeted by vociferous mange ridden cur dogs, if they got too close I would throw stones, rabies is prevalent in the area, better safe than sorry.
    • Agree Agree x 1
  12. graham59
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    graham59 Banned

    I know experienced travellers (especially cyclists and motorbike riders) carry plenty of pepper sprays with them to ward off the almost-wild packs of dogs they encounter in 'Asia Minor' , etc.
    • Agree Agree x 1

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