Help!!! Dog ATTACKED by skunk! 2nd UPDATE post 18

[Brindlebtch]

Oh man, I am SO sorry to hear that. What Redyre suggests is probably the best course of action.

 

[Karrie13]

Thank you for all your well wishes.

I talked to the district vet this evening about Trooper and her risk for developing rabies even after her vaccine the day of the attack. What I found out is, it is a flip of the coin. The risk to my kids, myself, my other pets (including chickens, he told me they can get it too… they just don’t pass it on) and others is to great. We made the choice to have her put down, but we have to wait the 10 day rule starting now. The 10 day rule is when you watch a dog for 10 days to see if they show any clinical signs of rabies, if not then you can put them down without any worries. If they do, then the people that came into contact with her will need to get the rabies vaccine. The 10 days has to start today because my son didn’t follow the rules today and allowed her to lick his hand. He washed right away, but that doesn’t matter. I have her isolated differently now and he has been given a stern lecture. He promises to stay away now, he didn’t think the skunk had rabies since the vet wasn’t convinced that she had it. He now understands the risks.
I asked him about the blood test sent to Kansas and he told me that it doesn’t work post exposure so unfortunately that option is out.

He told that some dogs do not get rabies even if they were not vaccinated until the day of the bite, but most people have their dogs put down in that situation so it is hard to say how many would actually get rabies. Another dog who was vaccinated didn’t show any signs or symptoms for 8 months.

I just can’t take that risk with my family. Please tell your family, friends, and yourself to get your pets vaccinated. It will save a lot of heartache. I wish I hadn’t thought “It wont happen to me” and got her shots the right way. My other two are current; I don’t know why I didn’t keep hers. I have been kicking myself in the backside during this whole situation.

Another thing… if a skunk is chasing you just throw something behind you to get its attention, it will attack anything even a stick. That is a hint the vet gave me, he says they have been known to chase people.

 

[lemurchaser]

I'm so sorry about your dog, that is miserable and so tragic.

I hope you don't mind if I ask a few questions. Did they recommend your family all get the rabies vaccine anyways? The chance of contact with the skunk saliva is the biggest risk factor so far, I'd imagine. Animals aren't usually infective until they are showing signs of rabies, so I guess I'm confused as to why they are suggesting euthanizing your dog. Are you going to Rabies test the dog once its euthanized?

Rabies is one of my personal interests, while almost no one dies of it in the US, about 55,000 people die of Rabies every year around the world. And it's so preventable. I've had my rabies preventive vaccine and its been 12 years and my blood titer levels are still protective against rabies. Because I'm a vet student I get my titers done every year now.

Best wishes for you and your family.

Oh and a public service announcement. Remember that BATS are a major carrier of rabies, in some areas 1 in 4 bats are rabid. So vaccinate ALL pets, even indoor cats, as bats have been known to come out of chimneys and from attics. Follow the recommended vaccination protocol. If it says vaccinate every year, you need to do so. Some vaccines create less of an immune response and really only last a year, others have much longer lasting immunity. Plus, your pet is legally protected if bitten and still in that range.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Wow, thats really bad news, but arent you glad you know that rabies is something you and your family need to be concerned about?
It really is too bad your poor loyal friend had to be sacraficed for this knowledge, but better than one of your kids.

Skunks are just all bad news, like I said they are the #1 animal in the country to be worried about rabies.
I was told by my friend that at least 80% of skunks carry rabies, and the other 20% will get it eventually.
Just because a skunk doesnt show signs, you should ALWAYS treat it as if it does.

Granted, in some parts of the country its more of a problem than in others, but no matter where you are in the US if you see a skunk you should immediatly think "RABIES" and not "stinky stupid skunk".


I really am sorry about your dog, that really hits home for me as my jack russell terrier constantly hunts for animals in holes, and ya never really know whats down there till he comes out, and my first thought everytime he goes down is "$h!t, Rabies".
I totally believe you are doing the right thing by taking her in tho, she will cause problems and it wont be her fault.

Im really bummed about this.

Edit-
I dont believe you can contract rabies merely by coming into contact with infected saliva, the infected saliva needs to contact a deep open cut or scratch or a mucous membrane such as your nose or eye.
I have trapped many many skunks, I wear heavy leather gloves and wash my hands with bleach cleanser when Im done.

 

[MomtoSyd&Emma]

I am truly truly sorry. I hate this for your family. Darn that blasted skunk anyway!

I wish I had some magic words to make this all go away or at least take the pain away for you all.

 

[Redyre Rotties]

I'm so very sorry you are having to destroy your dog.

Best wishes that you and your family come out ok. Late last year a man died in the midwest from Rabies. He apparently contracted it from an un noticed bat bite.

Re: skunks: I live in NC, where there are LOTS of skunks. The only place I ever see them is smashed on the road. The ONE time I saw a live skunk, it was wandering around in circles in the daytime out in a pasture. It was dispatched with a pistol and buried, and for certain rabid.

Scary stuff. We also have a lot of rabid foxes around here. There are generally in excess of 100 cases documented in the county where I live each year.

We don't slack on Rabies vaccines.

 

[SillyChicken]

so........... has the skunk been proven to have rabies?

I'd hate to kill my dog to find out it was for naught.

 

[stuckinthecity]

I am so sorry. I teared up a little bit thinking about my baby having to be put down.

 

[Brindlebtch]

Quote:
Yes, the skunk was positive for rabies.

Karrie, I am so sorry. Rabies can take a very long time to show symptoms. You ARE doing the right thing and protecting your family, too.

Will your family need to get the post-exposure vaccine series?

and chickenwhisperer, I lived in Germany, for a while, where rabies is a serious problem. There has been at least one case in Germany where a person with a superficial small scratch on their hand put the same hand in some rabid raccoon saliva that was in the grass, and contracted rabies and died.

 

[WingingIt]

I'm so very sorry.