U.S. woman may need rabies shots after biting pit bull to save her own dog

[Freedom]

So apparently, the pitbull was not up to date on its shots.

Prayers for the lady and her doggie, Ella.

[lute]

I'd bite back too if one of my dogs were being attacked!!!

I hope the woman is ok. Rabies is so rare in the US now, but you never know.

[shepgirl]

Don't know if I would have the presence of mind to think of this. Good thing to keep in mind in case I ever run into this though. I knew you could stop a bear from attacking you by clubbing it on the nose with a stick, never gave a thought to pits.

[Catlady711]

Don't know if I would have the presence of mind to think of this. Good thing to keep in mind in case I ever run into this though. I knew you could stop a bear from attacking you by clubbing it on the nose with a stick, never gave a thought to pits.

I don't think I would ever try that tactic myself. While the dog's teeth may have been preoccupied when she actually bit the dog, what about once the dog lets go? I'd think having your face that close to teeth that had already attacked and HELD onto something wouldn't be a very good idea personally.

[Danegirl2208]

I don't think I would ever try that tactic myself. While the dog's teeth may have been preoccupied when she actually bit the dog, what about once the dog lets go? I'd think having your face that close to teeth that had already attacked and HELD onto something wouldn't be a very good idea personally.

Just because the dog was attacking another dog doesn't mean it's going to turn on a human. If that dog wanted to bite her he would have!

hope the dog and owner are fine. And I hope the owner of the pit bull gets whats coming to him... this could have all been avoided if they had kept the dog properly contained.

[Spiritwind]

I'd bite back too if one of my dogs were being attacked!!!

I hope the woman is ok. Rabies is so rare in the US now, but you never know.

I don't know that, that is true in all areas...

In the area I am in in North Carolina, rabies in common... In 2007 there were over 20 confirmed cases of Rabies in wild or domesticated animals JUST in Guilford County North Carolina.

The vet clinic I worked out last year in Greensboro, NC (which is in Guilford county) we had a guy bring in 2 large bull-ish/mastiff type dogs he said just needed yearly exams and update vaccs. Of course just a few minutes after the guy dropped the dogs off we got a call from Animal Control looking for the 2 dogs.. Apparently the larger of the two dogs attacked and killed a raccoon that tested positive for rabies and the dog was way over due for rabies vaccination and the owner had till noon that day to get the dog to animal control for quarinteen or to be put down... instead of doing that he tried to pull a fast one and get his dogs vaccinated and while doing that putting everyone at that clinic at possible risk. Animal Control came and took the larger of the two dogs, which was put down... as the owner didn't have the money to pay for quarinteen.

[lute]

I don't know that, that is true in all areas...

In the area I am in in North Carolina, rabies in common... In 2007 there were over 20 confirmed cases of Rabies in wild or domesticated animals JUST in Guilford County North Carolina.

The vet clinic I worked out last year in Greensboro, NC (which is in Guilford county) we had a guy bring in 2 large bull-ish/mastiff type dogs he said just needed yearly exams and update vaccs. Of course just a few minutes after the guy dropped the dogs off we got a call from Animal Control looking for the 2 dogs.. Apparently the larger of the two dogs attacked and killed a raccoon that tested positive for rabies and the dog was way over due for rabies vaccination and the owner had till noon that day to get the dog to animal control for quarinteen or to be put down... instead of doing that he tried to pull a fast one and get his dogs vaccinated and while doing that putting everyone at that clinic at possible risk. Animal Control came and took the larger of the two dogs, which was put down... as the owner didn't have the money to pay for quarinteen.

OMG! That's horrible! What a stupid man! I'm glad no one was hurt in his stupid plan. I didn't know rabies was still so common in some areas.

[Spiritwind]

OMG! That's horrible! What a stupid man! I'm glad no one was hurt in his stupid plan. I didn't know rabies was still so common in some areas.

yeah... was a very stupid man!! The larger of the two dogs was HUGE!... never seen a dog like her before, not sure what she was, some sort of bully-masstiff mix... and he course she was drooling all over that place because of the mix she was.. seems pretty sweet though....

Of course I was the one who took the dog back to the hospital runs (where the larger dogs go when dropped off for treatment/vaccs/surgery etc..) and she drooled all over me, so after we found all this out (I found out about an hour after the dog was dropped off).... the manager made me go to the Dr. to consult about possible rabies exposure.. but he wasn't worried... said the dog wasn't rabid at that time, so she wasn't contagious????? But what an idiot that owner was!!... when he came to pick up the dog Animal Control left (they only took the one that killed the rabid racoon).. the one of the Drs at the clinic I worked at gave him hell for what he did....

Yes.. rabies is VERY common in this area... there have been Rabid cats, bats, skunks, racoons, foxes found all over the county.. heck all over the state really, I think Guilford county gets the most exposure of its rabies cases because its not a real rural county, its alot of city/suburban areas, and a lot of the confirmed rabies cases are not found out on a farm or the country, but within city limits.... last year they found several rabid bats on the University of North Carolina - Greensboro (UNCG) campus!.. I'm not sure what the number or rabies cases is in the area so far this year, but I know there have already been a few confirmed cases this year. All spring/summer long they hold low-cost rabies clinics for people all over the state for people to get their pets vaccinated trying to keep it in control, atleast with domesticated animals..

I was just looking up info about rabies in that area.. the info I found was from September 2006 and at that time Guilford county had 27 confirmed cases.. and there were over 20 confirmed in 2007... its crazy!...