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Thread: rabid racoon in my back yard!

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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Kensington MD USA
    Posts
    4,875
    Phred, I do not want to get toooo specific but the racoon was tested by animal control and was positive for rabies. The two-legger doc can report the incident with humans but does not have to mention dogs or cats being involved. I have been to the CDC Web site and done much research since Saturday. At the vet there were exams, rabies boosters, wound treatments (yes, wounds from the coon) antibiotic injections, Mometamas 30 gr, Amoxitabs 400 mg and tritop ointment. All that for follow up treatment at home. One does not have to be bitten to need the care, it's the saliva from the coon itself or from the dog fur when there was contact. My son had direct contact but Jenny & I were holding dogs back and perhaps had indirect contact. Jenny is calling the two-legger doc this morning. Thank you for caring. The amount due at the vet included my multi-pet discount AND my "old lady" discount *being old does have some advantages*

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Pensacola Beach,FL
    Posts
    8,831
    hmmm....This is a sticky situation. I'm not one to judge or get on to someone. I understand you feel you have to handle things your own way. Although a 6month quaranteen sounds like a small price to pay. What about all the other dogs in your neighborhood that don't have responsible owners that aren't vaccinated? If you don't report the racoon it may get someone elses beloved pet...and then possibly bite them or their children.
    Owned by two little pastries!


    REST IN PEACE GRACIE. NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DON'T MISS YOU.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Kensington MD USA
    Posts
    4,875
    We DID report it. Twice, the first time it came into the yard and several hours later when it returned. It was animal control that came to pick it up. We have already alerted all our neighbors and it will be printed up in the weekly Gazette under "Animal Reports". I have been on the phone with animal control. They are the ones that called me at work to report the postive results and that we had the follow up call about. We DID report it immediately. I said in my first post that we called animal control at the first sign of this poor, sick racoon.

  4. #4

    Another aspect to consider....

    It is well that the rabid animal was dispatched to a better place BUT rabies doesn't 'just happen' to an animal. It is quite possible that this is just the first notice to humans that rabies may be reaching epidemic proportions in the wild...and that means trouble for humans and pets.

    Where do you suppose the raccoon got the rabies? Any warm blooded animal (including humans) can carry the disease and pass it on. To protect everyone, the source of this should be investigated in the local area and then rooted out as much as possible.

    Bats are a frequent carrier and you do NOT have to be bitten to be infected. Simply going into an attic (for example) where rabid bats have been and breathing in the dust from their droppings can be deadly. This being so, the search should NOT be done by uninformed, improperly prepared, individuals.

    I know whereof I speak...we found a rabid bat on our living room carpet one morning. It was promptly dispatched and taken to the health department. I had had a 'dream' about something trying to bite me during the night so I went through a thorough magnifying glass inspection stem to stern. Found nothing. I opted to wait (because of allergies) for 3 weeks. Pure hell!

    We discovered the bats had invaded our attic. We threw mothballs up there to drive them out and stood outside firing away as they exited. Then we closed up every vent, hole, crack, etc we could find. No more bats in the attic.

    I do wish you all the best but the job isn't done until the source of the infection is isolated as much as possible. Your health department should be following up to make sure innocent others were not inadvertently infected before your situation occurred.

    You'll be in my prayers.

    Callie

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2000
    Location
    Kensington MD USA
    Posts
    4,875
    You are exactly right Callie, reading up on rabies through the CDC web site is a real eye opener. Very scary but very informative. Animal Control is very thorough in this county. Between Animal Control, word of mouth and the write up in the Gazette we are all hoping to make our "neighborhood watch" do more than watch for suspicious two-leggers this time.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    9,862
    I, too, was very confused by your initial post, thanks for clearing that up for us. I will pray that no one suffers any ill-effects from this encounter (other than having to take the shots, ugh!), and that there are no other rabid animals found in your area. And as far as I am concerned all I can say is I am glad that none of the dogs were in the yard at the time.

  7. #7
    Rabies Information *links* >>>

    A private information site - that gives citations for many of its information points >
    http://www.rabies.com/html/welcome.html


    The US CDC (Center for Disease Control) site >>>
    http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/rabies/prevention&control/preventi.htm

    From the CDC page:
    "Postexposure prophylaxis
    Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is indicated for persons possibly exposed to a rabid animal. Possible exposures include animal bites, or mucous membrane contamination with infectious tissue, such as saliva. {For more information on types of exposures, see Human Rabies Prevention - United States, 1999 Recommendations of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP).} PEP should begin as soon as possible after an exposure. There have been no vaccine failures in the United States (i.e. someone developed rabies) when PEP was given promptly and appropriately after an exposure.


    Administration of rabies PEP is a medical urgency, not a medical emergency. Physicians should evaluate each possible exposure to rabies and as necessary consult with local or state public health officials regarding the need for rabies prophylaxis.

    Postexposure prophylaxis regimen
    In the United States, PEP consists of a regimen of one dose of immune globulin and five doses of rabies vaccine over a 28-day period. Rabies immune globulin and the first dose of rabies vaccine should be given as soon as possible after exposure. Additional doses of rabies vaccine should be given on days 3, 7, 14, and 28 after the first vaccination. Current vaccines are relatively painless and are given in your arm, like a flu or tetanus vaccine.


    What to do after a possible exposure
    If you are exposed to a potentially rabid animal, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, and seek medical attention immediately. A health care provider will care for the wound and will assess the risk for rabies exposure."


    /s/ Phred

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