Assessment of Knowledge regarding Rabies and its prevention among animal owners in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India

Pravin Bano; Manisha  Mathur; Mohd.  Zeeshan

Pravin Bano Assistant Professor (Veterinary Pathology), Department of VCC, CVAS, Bikaner, Rajasthan
Manisha Mathur Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Pathology, CVAS, Bikaner, Rajasthan
Mohd. Zeeshan Assistant Professor Department of Physiology, SPMC, Bikaner, Rajasthan

Keywords: Rabies, Animal owners, Knowledge, Prevention

Abstract

Introduction: Rabies is an extremely fatal but preventable disease affecting both animals and humans. Majority of cases of rabies are due to bites of dogs followed by bites of other rabid animals like cat, cow, monkey, horses and pigs etc. Deaths in humans can be prevented
with proper awareness, immunization and treatment in case of pre- exposure and post-exposure. It is necessary to have knowledge in animal owners regarding rabies prevention and management. So, the present study was to undertaken with the objective of assessment of knowledge regarding rabies and its prevention among animal owners in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst 72 animal owners in Bikaner during the period of March-April, 2025. Study participants were administered a structured questionnaire, which had questions related to various domains of knowledge about rabies i.e. epidemiology, clinical features, mode of transmission and its prevention. Collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Most of the study subjects (83.33%) knew hydrophobia (fear from water) as a symptom of rabies, but other symptoms of rabies such as paralysis and pain at wound site were known by 38.89% and 47.22% respectively. Majority (95.83%) of them knew dog as the most common reservoir of rabies, only 43.05% knew that rabies could be transmitted by animals other than dogs. A total of 65.28% animal owners knew about anti-rabies vaccine being preventive for rabies.

Conclusion: The study concluded that majority of animal owners showed their knowledge about rabies as a disease and anti-rabies vaccine being preventive for rabies. By organizing various awareness camps and mass vaccination programmes can be helpful to fill the knowledge gap.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0973.5038.202515

How to cite this article: Bano P, Mathur M, Zeeshan M, Assessment of Knowledge regarding Rabies and its prevention among animal owners in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. APCRI J. 2025; 27(2): 21-25

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