I'm not sure how many people here are from Maine or are paying attention to our local news, so basically, there have been an increased number of cases of wildlife carrying rabies, especially in the Brunswick areas. MOST of these cases have been raccoons, but there has been red and gray foxes and a skunk.
This is an educational post, and not an 'incite panic ahhhh rabies!!!' post. Because, as long as we are careful and vigilant, we have nothing to worry about.
Risks to your livestock
Fortunately, poultry (and all birds) can not get rabies. This doesn't mean they aren't at risk, because a rabid animal can just as easily kill and eat your birds as a healthy animal. As for other livestock, know that rabies can effect MAMMALIAN hosts. Rabies in swine is very rare. In any case, any strangely behaving livestock should be watched for aggression.
A well fenced area that is difficult for predators to access should be enough to protect your livestock. Rabid animals are more likely to attack at all hours of day rather than closer to night, so keep watch!
Transmission Animals
The most common wildlife vectors for rabies include raccoons, foxes (red and gray), coyotes, stray cats and dogs, skunks and bats.
In regards to rodents, many of them are considered "disease carriers", but rabies is incredibly rare, bordering on unseen. This include chipmunks, squirrels, mice and rats. Most likely this is due to the size of the animals, likely being killed by being bit by a rabid animal as opposed to surviving and infecting others.
Rabies can be spread by being bitten by an infected animal even before showing symptoms!
Keeping pets safe
Ideally all cats and dogs should be vaccinated against rabies. There are some cases in which an animal is allergic to the rabies vaccine and do not get the shot. These pets should be kept indoors, especially if you're in the Brunswick area, to keep them from being exposed. You may not even realize your cat or dog has been bitten, and brush off a normal cat love bite that breaks skin, not realizing the virus could have been spread to you.
Generally, keeping cats indoors and only taking the dog out on a leash should be enough to keep them protected. You don't want your dog catching a scent and taking off into the woods and returning with a hidden bite, for example.
The main takeaway: keep an eye out!
Bites can happen in seconds. Symptoms could take months to appear in unvaccinated animals. The rabies vaccine in humans isn't quite as awful as it used to be, but let's not risk it.
Symptoms and signs
What should you look for? Any animal, wild or domestic, that is behaving strangely. Wildlife that is suddenly very human tolerant, approaching you and your pets, especially during the daytime is a strange behavior. You cannot always look for salivating as a symptom. Animals may be unkempt, have difficulty with walking and coordination, snap and snarl at the air (loss of control in their muscles), have seizures. Aggression is the most common sign but not all animals with rabies behave aggressive.
Do not approach a sick looking animal!!!
Call for animal control or 911. If the animal is aggressive and could infect or kill livestock, pets, or other people, do what you must to protect them or yourself. Remember, an animal with rabies is suffering a terrible, 100% fatal disease. It is not cruel to put the animal out of its misery. You may feel guilty killing a sick animal but that quick death is 1000x better than what it would go through if left to live out the remainder of its life with the disease.
But I will repeat, if you cannot take care of the animal without putting yourself at risk, do not do it!
You, a pet, or a mammalian livestock animal was bitten, what should you do?
According to the CDC and veterinary sources, unvaccinated pets are put in prolonged observation where they are watched for onset of symptoms (can be months!!) or put down. If the pet shows signs of symptoms during the observation they are put down. This is why you should vaccinate your pet if at all possible. This is not a disease you mess with.
A vaccinated pet should be brought to the veterinary for wound treatment and to receive a rabies booster shot. In some cases a vaccinated pet has become sick with rabies! Always watch your pet, even if they've been vaccinated, after being bitten!
If you are bitten, you should visit your doctor to receive the rabies vaccinations, as well as antibiotics to ward off any other infections that animal might have passed onto you.
Certain livestock CAN be vaccinated but it is not a fully common practice. Unfortunately if your livestock animal(s) has a bite wound, euthanasia at the onset of any symptoms might be your only option.
Remember to report all cases of strangely behaving wildlife, potentially infectious bites, and dead wildlife on your property for testing!
Rabies cannot be tested for in a living animal. It can only be detected by testing brain tissue, which is why it is not possible to test for the disease in your pet or livestock. This is why quarantine and observation is a common practice.
Sources, news articles, and further reading:
CDC Website - Rabies
Merck Veterinary Manual
News Article - Brunswick
Maine CDC
(The article uses the term epidemic, but this is not an epidemic. This is an outbreak of a, sadly, yearly virus that affects many animals. It's simply occurring more frequently than usual, which is why I wanted to post this advice article to people here. I tried to make this as actual as I could, with information I've gathered from research and my own experience with viruses and diseases while studying for my degree. If anything is inaccurate, please let me know!)
This is an educational post, and not an 'incite panic ahhhh rabies!!!' post. Because, as long as we are careful and vigilant, we have nothing to worry about.
Risks to your livestock
Fortunately, poultry (and all birds) can not get rabies. This doesn't mean they aren't at risk, because a rabid animal can just as easily kill and eat your birds as a healthy animal. As for other livestock, know that rabies can effect MAMMALIAN hosts. Rabies in swine is very rare. In any case, any strangely behaving livestock should be watched for aggression.
A well fenced area that is difficult for predators to access should be enough to protect your livestock. Rabid animals are more likely to attack at all hours of day rather than closer to night, so keep watch!
Transmission Animals
The most common wildlife vectors for rabies include raccoons, foxes (red and gray), coyotes, stray cats and dogs, skunks and bats.
In regards to rodents, many of them are considered "disease carriers", but rabies is incredibly rare, bordering on unseen. This include chipmunks, squirrels, mice and rats. Most likely this is due to the size of the animals, likely being killed by being bit by a rabid animal as opposed to surviving and infecting others.
Rabies can be spread by being bitten by an infected animal even before showing symptoms!
Keeping pets safe
Ideally all cats and dogs should be vaccinated against rabies. There are some cases in which an animal is allergic to the rabies vaccine and do not get the shot. These pets should be kept indoors, especially if you're in the Brunswick area, to keep them from being exposed. You may not even realize your cat or dog has been bitten, and brush off a normal cat love bite that breaks skin, not realizing the virus could have been spread to you.
Generally, keeping cats indoors and only taking the dog out on a leash should be enough to keep them protected. You don't want your dog catching a scent and taking off into the woods and returning with a hidden bite, for example.
The main takeaway: keep an eye out!
Bites can happen in seconds. Symptoms could take months to appear in unvaccinated animals. The rabies vaccine in humans isn't quite as awful as it used to be, but let's not risk it.
Symptoms and signs
What should you look for? Any animal, wild or domestic, that is behaving strangely. Wildlife that is suddenly very human tolerant, approaching you and your pets, especially during the daytime is a strange behavior. You cannot always look for salivating as a symptom. Animals may be unkempt, have difficulty with walking and coordination, snap and snarl at the air (loss of control in their muscles), have seizures. Aggression is the most common sign but not all animals with rabies behave aggressive.
Do not approach a sick looking animal!!!
Call for animal control or 911. If the animal is aggressive and could infect or kill livestock, pets, or other people, do what you must to protect them or yourself. Remember, an animal with rabies is suffering a terrible, 100% fatal disease. It is not cruel to put the animal out of its misery. You may feel guilty killing a sick animal but that quick death is 1000x better than what it would go through if left to live out the remainder of its life with the disease.
But I will repeat, if you cannot take care of the animal without putting yourself at risk, do not do it!
You, a pet, or a mammalian livestock animal was bitten, what should you do?
According to the CDC and veterinary sources, unvaccinated pets are put in prolonged observation where they are watched for onset of symptoms (can be months!!) or put down. If the pet shows signs of symptoms during the observation they are put down. This is why you should vaccinate your pet if at all possible. This is not a disease you mess with.
A vaccinated pet should be brought to the veterinary for wound treatment and to receive a rabies booster shot. In some cases a vaccinated pet has become sick with rabies! Always watch your pet, even if they've been vaccinated, after being bitten!
If you are bitten, you should visit your doctor to receive the rabies vaccinations, as well as antibiotics to ward off any other infections that animal might have passed onto you.
Certain livestock CAN be vaccinated but it is not a fully common practice. Unfortunately if your livestock animal(s) has a bite wound, euthanasia at the onset of any symptoms might be your only option.
Remember to report all cases of strangely behaving wildlife, potentially infectious bites, and dead wildlife on your property for testing!
Rabies cannot be tested for in a living animal. It can only be detected by testing brain tissue, which is why it is not possible to test for the disease in your pet or livestock. This is why quarantine and observation is a common practice.
Sources, news articles, and further reading:
CDC Website - Rabies
Merck Veterinary Manual
News Article - Brunswick
Maine CDC
(The article uses the term epidemic, but this is not an epidemic. This is an outbreak of a, sadly, yearly virus that affects many animals. It's simply occurring more frequently than usual, which is why I wanted to post this advice article to people here. I tried to make this as actual as I could, with information I've gathered from research and my own experience with viruses and diseases while studying for my degree. If anything is inaccurate, please let me know!)
