Rabies - keeping pets and livestock safe

[Folly's place]

And great life insurance for your family.
Mary

 

[chickengeorgeto]

LA (Lower Alabama) has just had 3 I think is is rabid raccoons or foxes attack humans. Remember that when anyone gets antsy and decides to slept trapped wildlife willy nilly around the countryside instead of putting them down humanely.

 

[Folly's place]

It's been a busy year for finding rabid animals in southern Michigan too; 22 (!) rabid bats so far, and two skunks, at least.
Wonderful!
Mary

 

[arrowti]

This definitely appears to be a bad year for rabies across multiple states! Hopefully people learn to be cautious. Several people have been bit by positive-testing animals so far (including a sea otter!!).

 

[arrowti]

Rabid animals have been spotted in my city. Saw a fox crossing our road (far down the road, heading away from the side we live on) in broad daylight on the way home.

Time to force our broody to move into the coop with her chicks tonight.

 

[HeyHo]

So I realize this is an older thread but everyone on it seems so knowledgeable. I may regret asking (because I have an almost irrational fear of rabies since you don't know you have it until it is too late to do anything about it).... but is there any concern about having a chicken attacked by a rabid animal and then you handling that chicken while treating it?

 

[arrowti]

Poultry cannot get rabies so the birds should be okay, as long as they don't get an infection from bacteria through their wounds. If you mean if it's dangerous for you I would always recommend wearing gloves when handling any kind of blood regardless of whether it was an animal attack. Don't touch your face or eyes, and always wash your hands (up to the elbows) and anywhere blood may have gotten). Rabies can be spread via the saliva of the infected animal but I'd be worried about the potential for saliva to remain in the wound and be mixed in the blood.

If you're really worried I would contact a health person and ask them what you should do, hopefully everything's alright. If you had open wounds on your hands or anywhere blood may have gotten on you then I'd be checking out a doctor just to be safe. The rabies vaccination is very costly, but not as costly as your health and life.

 

[Folly's place]

WEAR GLOVES!!! The rabies virus does die pretty fast when dried, so old dry saliva is probably safe. Probably. The issue is when the pet is just involved with the possibly rabid critter, and the owner immediately rushes to handle the pet, fresh saliva and all. That's an exposure!
It's best to have a body to be tested the next day for rabies; wrap it in plastic and chill, don't freeze it. Animal Control where you live SHOULD pick it up and transport it to your state lab for testing. SHOULD, but it can be difficult. PERSIST, call your veterinarian, call public health, and insist.
If there's no body to be tested, but a likely exposure, you would be getting vaccinated.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

It's about fresh saliva, and it's always assumed that there's a wound of some sort on your hand. A hangnail will do.
If your dog or cat is exposed, and is previously vaccinated, a rabies booster is given soon.
Mary

 

[HeyHo]

Thanks for your replies! Just to be clear -- there has been no attack or anything! I'm just worrying and thinking ahead. I had heard that about a hangnail being enough of a wound ... and who doesn't always have a paper cut or something? So why aren't we all just vaccinated against rabies if it is so dangerous and so deadly? There must be a reason. There are some super knowledgeable, reasonable people on here that clearly have more medical and scientific knowledge than I do.

If one of my hens were ever attacked and would treat her first and call my primary care second. But believe me, my doctor would hear about it.