Does this raccoon have distemper?

[RRRescue]

Neurological raccoons can have rabies, canine distemper, or something else, and ONLY LAB TESTING can tell the difference!
Best to trap it and get it tested if there's any chance that a pet or human had any contact with it. If you shoot it, NOT in the head, which is needed for rabies testing. Then wrap it in plastic and chill, don't freeze the body.
Call your DNR, who may want to test it, and public health, and up the chain at your animal control folks. We've run into this in SE Michigan, where idiots at public health and AC don't know what should be done.
Mary

Raccoons can show those symptoms from a fall causing temporary neurological issues.....that could also be from rodent poisons....No need to trap & kill just to answer a question...no agrresive signs...unless your child eats poop you have nothing to worry about.....I'vve worked in wildlife & raccoon rescue over 30 years, live in a NWF Habitat with raccoons every day.....never had a problem myself or any of my pets, both cats & dogs...
There's too much unknowlegeable paranoid info being spread about raccoons.....Any state licensed wildlife rehabber will confirm this.... Ahnow.org

 

[Folly's place]

Sorry, 'unknowledgeable paranoia' isn't it! Some of us may have a good grasp of what can happen, and some of us have seen rabies and other neurological diseases in action, and have been exposed personally.
For a disaster like rabies, being extra careful only makes sense! if you want to call it 'paranoia', that's your choice.
Mary

 

[cmom]

Raccoons can show those symptoms from a fall causing temporary neurological issues.....that could also be from rodent poisons....No need to trap & kill just to answer a question...no agrresive signs...unless your child eats poop you have nothing to worry about.....I'vve worked in wildlife & raccoon rescue over 30 years, live in a NWF Habitat with raccoons every day.....never had a problem myself or any of my pets, both cats & dogs...
There's too much unknowlegeable paranoid info being spread about raccoons.....Any state licensed wildlife rehabber will confirm this.... Ahnow.org

A few years ago my sister heard her dogs fussing bigtime and knew something was up. She went out and there was a coon after them. She got the dogs in her house and locked the doggie door. The coon was persistent and was trying to get in through the doggie door. She said there was foam coming out of the coons mouth. I think her DH went out and eliminated it but not sure. I'll have to ask her.

 

[Painted Calls]

I personally would rather be safe than sorry. I have children and pets. If it is a nuero issue, the coon isn't going to have a quality life anyway. It will fall to something as prey or to a car. If it's bad enough, it could even slowly starve to death.

It's not paranoia. It's being smart.

 

[reddogmaster2]

Ugh, this makes me so nervous. What can I do? I called animal control and they told me they don't deal with wildlife...

Don't be nervous. If you can trap it, trap it then dispose of it. If you are confident in your shooting ability, then take a few deep breaths, align the front sight on your .410 shotgun, aim for the head and neck area and slowly squeeze the trigger.

The coon might jump and kick a little it'll be over in a few seconds.

Depending on the age of your children, you might include the kids in on the event. Consider it a circle of life learning moment for the youngsters.

Remember to wear disposable gloves and best not try and handle the dead coon if you do suspect it of having rabies or another disease. A shovel and a heavy duty plastic bag will work.

Good luck!

 

[Birdmom2020]

This one acts alot like the one that came in my house thru a doggie door while I was at the top of my yard waiting for my kids bus. My dog heard it attack my cat (sadly she didn't make it) and he started in the house from where I was and I could hear the fight. While waiting for animal control I watched it (my kids safely locked in my bedroom during that time) and the sheriff waiting with me said it's behavior was definitely rabies. It wasn't aggressive at all when I walked about 2 ft in front of it before noticing it in my laundry room. But no chance I was getting close. I got a call 2 days later she (the coon) was rabid and animal control came that day for my dog and he had to be quarantined for 4 months.

Needless to say I moved bc my rent lady wouldn't let me do away with the doggy door. My dog came home in March and is happy and perfectly healthy. Now any time we see coon or possums or any of the sort we make sure they won't come back. I love all animals but losing a petand paying $5k for another pet bc of one is definitely a hit that I don't wanna take again.

 

[Birdmom2020]

This one acts alot like the one that came in my house thru a doggie door while I was at the top of my yard waiting for my kids bus. My dog heard it attack my cat (sadly she didn't make it) and he started in the house from where I was and I could hear the fight. While waiting for animal control I watched it (my kids safely locked in my bedroom during that time) and the sheriff waiting with me said it's behavior was definitely rabies. It wasn't aggressive at all when I walked about 2 ft in front of it before noticing it in my laundry room. But no chance I was getting close. I got a call 2 days later she (the coon) was rabid and animal control came that day for my dog and he had to be quarantined for 4 months.

Needless to say I moved bc my rent lady wouldn't let me do away with the doggy door. My dog came home in March and is happy and perfectly healthy. Now any time we see coon or possums or any of the sort we make sure they won't come back. I love all animals but losing a petand paying $5k for another pet bc of one is definitely a hit that I don't wanna take again.

Here is a couple pics of this racoon in my cats litter box

 

[Folly's place]

@Birdmom2020 , that was a terrible experience! I'm sorry about your kitty, and glad nothing even worse happened. Frightening!
Mary

 

[Birdmom2020]

@Birdmom2020 , that was a terrible experience! I'm sorry about your kitty, and glad nothing even worse happened. Frightening!
Mary

Thank you. And yes it was very scary. I have 5 kids and at the time it was only my oldest 2 in school. So being cooler (mid November this past fall in NC) I left my 3 younger ones in the house as I was just outside at the road. Luckily my 4 yr old was laying in my bed watching TV while the 2 youngest were sleeping in the same bed and the room that the racoon was in had a half door that I had closed. So the racoon couldn't go anywhere but that one room but it was still terrifying!

 

[Flockincrazy]

My tenant sent me a video of a raccoon a few nights ago in the yard. I have a 4 year old who loves playing right where the raccoon was. Do you think its distemper, or rabies?

Distemper maybe not rabies if it rabies it would be out in the day and would have most likely charged the door it may have been poisoned too i know someone that would poison them