Can we get rabies from an attacked chicken?

[mypicklebird]

Yes, talk to a human doctor. Exposure is contaminated material (mostly saliva) into a wound/broken skin. It is not a very hardy virus outside of the body, but there is a small possibility of exposure- so you should get checked out, for your peace of mind.


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[KattyKillFish]

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here's hoping for the best!

 

[Imp]

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Good luck. Glad you are going. Several years ago I got bit by a squirrel. After a couple days I got talked into seeing a Dr. by a neighbor & friend who is an RN.
It only involved a lecture from the Dr about playing with wild animals. Then he took a blood sample for the state to check for rabies antibodies. I got the results in the mail a few days later, maybe a week. I don't think I was ever even charged by Washington State. The Dr did put me on antibiotics prophylactically to ward off any other kind of infection. It's probably nothing, but rabies is not something to take chances with.

Imp- doesn't feed wild animal by hand anymore.

ETA- typo

 

[Goronson Chicks]

"Rabies is a fatal viral disease affecting humans and other animals. Though all warm blooded animals are susceptible to this disease, rabies is commonly observed in mammals. Birds can be experimentally infected with this virus; however, naturally occurring rabies infection in birds has been reported very rarely. We report an unusual case of natural rabies infection in a domestic fowl from India. The bird was bitten by a stray dog and succumbed after a month. The brain tissue from the carcass was tested at a laboratory and was found to be positive for rabies virus antigens. This report indicates that rabies is a disease that can affect birds. Most often birds succumb due to shock or complication of animal bite injury and may not survive until the development of clinical signs of rabies infection. Moreover, fewer opportunities for diagnostic laboratory testing of suspected rabies in a bird may be a reason for the disease in these species being underestimated. Butchering and handling of virus-infected poultry may pose a potential biohazard." Quoted from this article https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4511517/

 

[Abriana]

Our chicken was attacked a couple of nights ago (around 6pm). We assume it was a raccoon although we've seen (and caught) both skunks and fox in the fenced area. Whatever attacked the hen, walked up the ramp and pulled her out of the coop by her head. We retrieved the hen, cleaned her up as best we could and are feeding her by hand in the house.

I never would have thought of rabies, but a friend had to get rabies shots after being licked by a puppy that had rabies. Whatever attacked the hen probably left its saliva all over her head/neck where it mauled her and we would have touched the saliva when we first caught her, examined her and then cleaned her up. We were not wearing gloves.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this topic? Has anyone ever heard of getting rabies by touching a chicken with saliva on it?
Thanks,
LCS

Birds cannot get rabies, but maybe you could if you touched the saliva-and maybe it didn't even have rabies, but i would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[Nemeth1986]

Thank you.
Looks like we'll head to the doc first thing Monday. We both have cuts all over our hands and weren't wearing gloves... ARG!
LCS

What ever was the outcome, if you don't mind me asking? We have the exact same scenario going on for us.