Rabid Raccoon - buried it today

[NanaLantana]

Yesterday I watched a raccoon most of the day - first it was acting wierd, then I saw distinctly that it had neurological problems. Trouble lifting its feet in the right way, head arching, occasional seizures with teeth bared and biting at the air. I kept my distance, don't worry - called animal control, thinking they'd like to know numbers of rabid wildlife, etc - I'm in a populated area in Palm beach county - but they don't care. Darn creature made it thru the night, and into half the day, and finally before nightfall, I buried it. Wow - rabies is an awful disease. I'd hate to die like that - He never did come too close to my house, just about 1/2 acre away. But now I'm worried - how many more out there?

 

[ranchhand]

They didn't keep the head and send it off for testing? Wow.

Can't be sure of it being rabid now. It may have been hit by a car or any number of things.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Let's hope that if the folks at ACC correctly heard you describe the symptoms and still were not concerned, then this raccoon didn't have anything as serious as rabies. For a reliable second opinion you could call the good folks at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, they deal with all sorts of injured & ailing native wildlife in the area. http://www.buschwildlife.com/

 

[Randy]

Next time try calling your county health department.

 

[key west chick]

Distemper also causes rabies like symptoms.

 

[NanaLantana]

Well, I'll call some county offices again on Monday, and see if there may be someone who cares about public safety in our government - I don't have much confidence in them, though -

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Wow crazy! They should have sent someone out ASAP!

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

I used to live in NE Florida. Sounds typical to me. But let that same raccoon get to running around Disney World, whoopsie, the whole police force and rescue squad would be there.

 

[GarlicEater]

Dang I'd have shot it right away. And gotten onto the 'net and found out WHO to report possible rabies cases to. Not sure if it's the CDC, the local college, or who, but there's someone out there who keeps track of such things.

Why would I have shot it right away? Am I a trigger-happy nut? Well yeah. But: if it was suffering and was just gonna lie down and die, after hours, it's more humane to shorten the process. If it was gonna get more excited and wild/violent, then you run the risk of it biting another animal, or a person.

To me a skunk or coon that's out in the daytime at all is really suspect. They're night-time creatures.

(Funny story: I'd just eaten a big dinner of steak and potatoes etc., was really stuffed, and my Internet connection was down so I took my laptop out by the pine trees and sat there and checked my email on some random wifi signal that's out there. I heard something and thought it was one of the cats come out to say Hi. I shined my flashlight, it was the most big, beautiful, and majestic skunk I've ever seen! I got out of there. Wow, if I'd not had a flashlight on me and Mr. Skunk had come right up and then startled me, which would have startled him, well, we'd have been brothers in stink. He was only attracted because of the delicious smells on my breath.)

 

[rebel-rousing-at-night]

Quote:
Yeah,same here.They say it costs a lot of money to test for rabies.duh??
Now if someone was to get bite by that animal they go nuts but why do they take chances?