More prosaic reporting on interactions between mad animals and sometimes demented humans from ProMED Digest, the newsletter of the International Society of Infectious Diseases.
A woman attacked by a rabid raccoon in Prospect took matters into her own hands, literally. The raccoon jumped out from a backyard on Woodcrest Drive and bit the woman Monday morning.
“I turned around and grabbed him. Then he bit me in the hand. Almost took my thumb off, I mean bit right through the thumbnail. And then I managed to get a hold of him with my left hand, all the while screeching for my husband to come out. And I just shoved the raccoon to the ground and held him there,” said the woman.
The victim said she saw the animal chasing her dogs around the backyard. She got the dogs inside, but that’s when the raccoon attacked. She grabbed the attacking raccoon and choked it to death to keep it from biting her anymore. Her husband, hit the animal with a hammer to slow it down even more.
“What disturbs me is I smashed his mouth off, I smashed his teeth in; he still wanted to continue in the attack mode,” said the husband. “I was actually terrified at the resilience of this animal.” His wife had to be hospitalized for her injuries. “I knew she was hurt by the way she was hollering and screaming. I never heard my wife quite that loud or in that pitch,” he said.
The raccoon tested positive for rabies, so both the victim and her husband are undergoing rabies treatments.
It’s not the only attack by a raccoon in Prospect. According to police, a different raccoon injured a dog before taking off. The attack happened during daylight hours. Raccoons are nocturnal animals. The dog had to be euthanized, because it hadn’t had a rabies shot.
State Police issued a warning to residents in Prospect to be on the lookout for raccoons and skunks out during the daytime.
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A feral cat living in the area of Ridge Road in Pompey, which had attacked several residents, has tested positive for rabies, Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Cynthia B. Morrow said today.
Anyone who had physical contact with the cat should receive the rabies vaccine. This is the 1st finding of rabies in a cat since 2009.
Rabies is a fatal disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord. It can take several weeks to several months for symptoms [in human beings] to appear. Early treatment after exposure can prevent rabies.
Any mammal can get rabies. It is most often seen in bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes.
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A resident of Southside Mobile Home Park was letting her dog out on 10 Aug 2010 when a fox ran through the open door into the home and
attacked the woman, biting her several times on both legs.The fox then ran further into the house and attacked the home owner’s 9-year-old daughter, who was standing in the hallway. The fox bit the
girl on the left leg, as well as scratched the girl on the left arm.Walton Animal Control was called out to the scene following a 911 call and caught the fox, taking it for rabies testing.
Later that same day, Walton Animal Control received another call from a homeowner whose dogs were attacked by an infant fox, thought to be
the offspring of the earlier attacking animal. The 2nd fox was also picked up for rabies testing.Both animals tested positive for rabies.
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A fox that attacked a puppy Saturday was rabid, marking Alamance County’s 4th confirmed case of rabies this year, officials said today.
The Alamance County Health Department said in a news release that the puppy was not vaccinated for rabies, so the owner must decide whether
it will be euthanized or put in quarantine for 6 months. The attack took place at a residence on Willard Road in Snow Camp. The fox was
killed, taken to a local veterinary office, and was later picked up for testing by the N.C. State Laboratory of Public Health.– —
An injured bat dropped off Sunday [15 Aug 2010] night at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region tested positive for rabies, and officials need the person who dropped off the bat to come forward.
The bat was left in the animal shelter’s drop box with a note that read, “bat hurt, please help.” The person or people who dropped off the bat may have been exposed to rabies and should immediately call the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment.
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A woman visiting from Florida was bitten by a bat while whitewater rafting in Cocke County on 10 Aug 2010. According to the Tennessee Department of Health, the woman captured the bat after it bit her on the leg and took it to the health department, where it tested positive for rabies.
The woman started her treatment for rabies on 10 Aug 2010. She has since returned to Florida to continue her treatment there.
Authorities said it is important to report any contact with bats to your health care provider and your health department. If a bat enters
an enclosed space with you, get out of the room and contain the bat if possible or contact authorities to contain it.– —
A woman attacked by a rabid raccoon in Prospect took matters into her own hands, literally. The raccoon jumped out from a backyard on
Woodcrest Drive and bit the woman Monday morning.“I turned around and grabbed him. Then he bit me in the hand. Almost took my thumb off, I mean bit right through the thumbnail. And then I
managed to get a hold of him with my left hand, all the while screeching for my husband to come out. And I just shoved the raccoon
to the ground and held him there,” said the woman.The victim said she saw the animal chasing her dogs around the backyard. She got the dogs inside, but that’s when the raccoon attacked. She grabbed the attacking raccoon and choked it to death to keep it from biting her anymore. Her husband, hit the animal with a hammer to slow it down even more.
“What disturbs me is I smashed his mouth off, I smashed his teeth in; he still wanted to continue in the attack mode,” said the husband. “I was actually terrified at the resilience of this animal.” His wife had to be hospitalized for her injuries. “I knew she was hurt by the way she was hollering and screaming. I never heard my wife quite that loud or in that pitch,” he said.
The raccoon tested positive for rabies, so both the victim and her husband are undergoing rabies treatments.
It’s not the only attack by a raccoon in Prospect. According to police, a different raccoon injured a dog before taking off. The attack happened during daylight hours. Raccoons are nocturnal animals. The dog had to be euthanized, because it hadn’t had a rabies shot.
State Police issued a warning to residents in Prospect to be on the lookout for raccoons and skunks out during the daytime.
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[Rabid animals can be quite vicious, or very slow and lethargic to
respond. While this victim certainly had confirmation of rabies, and
while we all react without thinking, it is still better to not handle
wild animals whose behavior is clearly not normal. – Moderator TG]A Brunswick man is recuperating from bites and a broken rib after being attacked Sunday [15 Aug 2010] by a rabid raccoon on his backyard deck.
The victim was lounging on the deck with his ex-wife while their grandchildren splashed in a nearby pool, when the raccoon rushed at him and bit his leg. When the victim tried to stop the animal, it bit his hand. He eventually jumped on the raccoon, crushing it to death, and breaking one of his own ribs in the process.
The animal tested positive for rabies, and the victim is now undergoing a series of shots to ward off the disease. Brunswick animal control officials say one rabid animal is an indication that more are nearby.
They’re warning residents to be on the lookout for animals behaving in unusual ways, such as walking in circles or being unusually aggressive. The raccoon that attacked Rush was also covered in porcupine quills, another sign of the disease, officials say, because wild animals typically steer clear of porcupines.
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The Department of Health has confirmed that a rabid kitten was found in Cambria County, and now officials are looking for the rest of the litter.
A Cambria County family had a litter of kittens. The family kept one kitten, gave a kitten to their niece and gave the mother and the rest of the kittens to a farmer from the Colver area.
The family’s kitten was acting strangely, foaming at the mouth, growling, hissing and wouldn’t drink water. The kitten died the next day. If anyone has information or may have picked up kittens in the Colver area, call 1-877-PA Health.
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The Haywood County Health Department says that about 43 residents may have been exposed to rabies from a baby raccoon that a family was
caring for, which later died and tested positive for rabies.The raccoon died of rabies infection on 13 Aug 2010. Prior to its death, it was handled by many adults and children during the time that it was not yet showing signs. The letter advised any person who may have been exposed to the raccoon between 21 Jun and 16 Aug 2010 to be seen by their doctor or health care provider for a rabies post exposure prophylaxis assessment.
This is the 2nd incident since early July 2010 in which dozens of people may have been exposed to rabies through situations that could have been prevented.
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An aggressive fox on a Mebane farm had rabies, the 4th case in Orange County this year, county officials said Friday.
The fox was submitted to the N.C. Rabies Laboratory for testing, because it might have come in contact with 6 dogs, 14 cats and 19 horses at the farm in the vicinity of Lynch Store Road and Harmony Church Road in Mebane. It did not have any contact with humans.
All the animals involved were currently vaccinated against rabies and have been re-boostered in compliance with North Carolina law.
Because horses are considered livestock, Department of Agriculture employees worked with the horse owners to obtain vaccinations.
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[Baby animals are exceptionally cute. A curious baby raccoon is especially appealing to children and adults alike. However, when dealing with wild animals, it is always wise to realize that rabies is a possibility, even in the very young.
The last incident reported here, regarding the fox in NC, is a little confusing. The article mentioned horses as livestock and that Department of Agriculture employees worked with the horse owners to obtain vaccinations. What is unclear is whether this vaccination occurred prior to or after the exposure to the rabid fox.
There are established vaccines for livestock, so vaccinating prior to an exposure should not be a problem. The only problem is convincing the horse owner or the cattle owner to vaccinate. A human life is priceless, and in comparison, a vaccine costs pennies. So why not vaccinate and protect yourself and your investment? – Moderator TG]
