Be aware of rabies
Community
I live out in the country and are always having critters around. Shooting nuisance skunks is just part of life for me. Been doing it for 25 yrs and it's always the same thing, until Sunday night. Was sitting the recliner about to go to bed and heard my old farm dog going bat shit crazy. Now mind you, he is atleast 12 yrs old and is the biggest coward you have ever seen. But the best kid friendly dog you have ever seen. I have never seen him attack any animal. He might bark at it is about it. So when I heard him yelping and barking, I knew something wasn't right. Ran outside and there was a skunk with teeth sunk into his back legs. The dog just wanted to get away from it, but couldn't. The skunk just kept after him. Took me several minutes to get them broke apart. And then followed the skunk out into the field and shot it. ( I never shoot them by house, I always chase them out in the field to shoot them so they are away from house). This one didn't want to be chased, he wanted to fight. In 25yrs have never seen this behavior. So I called my local get and had it sent off Monday for testing. Got the call yesterday that it was positive for rabies. Bad deal. Be aware
Dog ok? hopefully that good boy avoids the rabies too!
( I never shoot them by house, I always chase them out in the field to shoot them so they are away from house)
I hear it's the best way to deal with them, along with deranged progressives....:)
I have shot rabid coons in the past. I have had a skunk family near my yard for years. I never bother a skunk since they dig up the yellow jacket nests and eat them. A skunk can only see a few feet and depend on their nose to find stuff. If I saw one acting goofy I would shoot it. Have had rabid coons right in my yard but not in several years.
My Wife took out a gray fox that was acting goofy last Year with her bow. I didn't want it to bite our cats or dog, so I told her to take him out over the phone.
Rabid coons...man, I'd hate to see that! That would be like ZombieLand !
That is why I always have a gun with me. Terry
Rabies is scary stuff. Once the virus really sets in and there are neurological signs of the disease, the mortality rate is 100%.
So sorry to hear KsRancher…. What is the prognosis for your dog, will he have to be put down or quarantined or previous rabies vaccine suffices?
Isn’t it unusual for rabies to appear this late in the year, I thought a heavey frost kills the virus from spreading?...
Well I wasn't going to say. But I had him put down. I have got him his shots. But I wasn't current on them. So the options were. 1) get him boosted, and 45day observation 2) put him down. I am a very compassionate person. But my compassion stop with my kids. With. 4,9,12 yr old at home it was not worth the risk to me. So I had him put down and I buried him Tuesday night. For the people who want to chastise me, go ahead for not having current shot and for putting him down. But I will choose my family every time. I love animals, but they are not equal to humans in my eyes. So it is what it is. Bad deal, sad deal.
Ah SO SORRY KsRancher… You did what's best for your family, totally agree it was not worth any risk... Your dog's a hero, could very well have saved somebody a lot of agony going though rabie shots had someone been bitten, especially with young children... You are a good man...
Reason I brought it up because I often wonder what would happen to one of my dogs if a situation like yours ever happened, and what wildlife officials would recommend or command you to do... Also being a nuisances wildlife control trapper wonder what I'd been instructed to do if ever bitten... Once had and angry coon climb up my chest while trying to remove it from a cage trap... Its been a while now, but anyhow, after that incident I looked into whether humans can receive preventative rabie vaccine for high risk individuals like myself, but not a lot of information about how to and where to go to have it administered... Basically what I learned is they do have human vaccine but only a couple health departments in my area of the state (would have to travel couple hours) have it and a lot of paper work and hassle to receive AND they still recommend going through rabie shot series if bitten, so after hearing this decided wasn't worth it if a person still would have to go through the series of shots....
Thanks for the update, and sorry for your loss.... Go get the kids a new puppy...8^)
My condolences. I know putting an animal down is very tough on a family. Especially when kids are involved.
You did the right thing.
2nd on the distemper in coons. Natures way of controlling the population. They act exactly like JTV described. I believe they eventually go blind.
So sorry to hear about your pup, KsRancher.
I have a friend that stepped out on her porch a few years ago and was attacked by a skunk. She had to go through rabies shots as the skunk was rabid. She said she never wants to go through that again. She told me that she now, never goes outside at night without her shotgun. KSRancher sorry about your dog. I agree get your kids a new puppy.
Have dealt with a few distempered coons, usually I receive a call about a coon on their porch or in their yard during daylight that won't move... None I've ran across have been aggressive. They just kinda stand there lethargic and if you poke them, they barely move... Usually have matted eyes and/or hair and you can tell they sick... Fortunately haven't ran across anything rabid but once seen a video of a rabid grey fox attack a guy walking to his car across a grocery store parking lot... The thing came flying across the parking lot out of nowhere in broad daylight and grabbed his leg for no reason... He beat it off him with the grocery bag in hand... Was scary...
Yesterday my grandson had his 16 year old beagle put down. My great grand kids are 5 years old and 8 years old. They were very sad since they had known the dog since the day they were born. Really a nice dog and had never seen a rabbit, she was a house dog. My grandson said it was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do but she was going down hill fast so the vet put her to sleep. They buried her in their back yard and even put flowers on her grave.
Ks, sorry about your dog, I completely understand.
Rabies is something I'm very aware with and potentially deal with daily. I bring so many animals into the diagnostic lab at the U of M the front desk lady calls me by my 1st name when I walk in.
In sd as much as 65% of their skunks were testing positive 3 years ago.
"For the people who want to chastise me, " I can't imagine that anyone would.
BTW, I just read that a man in Utah just died of Rabies.
Had a skunk attack one of my cats and kill her babies. Killed that skunk with a shovel. About a month later that cat got goofy and bit me...then disappeared. It was a very docile quiet cat up to that point. So then the rabies shots started....not fun!
Sorry to hear about your dog. Here are some suspect coons down in Florida at the bro's house. I suspect distemper. You could walk up to them and they wouldn't move. Found a dead one the following week.
JL - Yeah thin and fur matting, they look suspect... Also some will start loosing their fur...
SB - Would you mind giving details of what all you went through with the rabies shots? Where'd you go to have administered, hospital, health department, how many shots, etc?... Thanks...
Sorry about your dog, you made the right decision.
We said goodbye to our 12 year old black lab Reagan on Saturday morning. Still tough at our household. No children ever, and no dogs for the first time in 13 years, it is a little lonely and sad for both Robin and I. Wish you the best!
Sorry about your dog. Its always a good reminder. When I was young and still in NC where I grew up I remember we had terrible rabies outbreaks.
I hopped out of the truck on a farm once and nearly stepped on a racoon. It was acting very agitated, was staggering and walking around in circles, so I put two rounds from the 9mm in it. I called animal control and they said it sounded like rabies but they were overwhelmed and couldn't send anyone out. They asked me to dig a hole at least 3' deep, push it in, burn it, then fill the hole. No kidding.
I bet I looked ridiculous when I first stepped out of the truck and nearly onto that racoon. I was hopping and dancing all over the place.
There are some veterinarians on here, they can probably tell you more than I can. But the two vets I know around here both have had some sort of rabies vaccine. And they even go back and have their tiders checked to see if they showed a positive response to the vaccine. So in case they are exposed they should be ok
Zbone....went to the ER with a nasty swelled up hand...when they found out what happened the shots started. Right off I got 5 shots of some kind that are based on your weight....glad I'm a lightweight....then the first in the series of rabies antivaccine. Seven shots spaced out over seven -eight weeks. On top of that was the nasty infection in my hand that put me in the hospital and finally required surgery. 2016 was NOT a good year! Had a heart attack this March.....so this year hasn't gone well either!
Z....Florida coons run smaller than the Great Northern Coons. They are lean...sometimes tall, but lean. Easier winters and hot summers I guess.
Sorry to hear Steven, glad you're recovering... Thanks for the info...
Sorry for your loss Frank and Lex,,, best cure for loosing a dog, get a puppy...
Ks,
I've got the pre exposure sd hots as I handle lots of bats
mn_archer - So if your actidently bitten and the bat test positive, will you then still go through the rabies series shots?
Those of us who are regularly exposed to potentially rabid animals should be vaccinated. Protection levels are checked by antibody titer. That will determine when one needs to get a booster shot. My wife works in the virology lab at the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Center and has been vaccinated because she handles samples being tested for rabies. Because of where she works and what she is exposed to, all of our house critters have more than the usual shots and vaccinations in case she brings something home.
mn_archer or Mouse - What the best way to receive the pre exposure vaccine shots?... Thanks...
Man in Utah just died of rabies....
I was attacked by a pack of dogs in Mazatlan Mexico.Upon arrival back in the states I was given a series of 7 rabies shots in 7 weeks by local doctor.He would grab a fold of skin on my stomach area and administer a shot that burned like H3LL!...All in a circular pattern.Not fun far a 8yr. old boy.Was told I can't have the serum shots again.So if I start foaming at he mouth,running in circles and biting people...Run for the hills!!!
Talk to your physician.
My wife was referred by her work and relevant staff got the shot.
I've wondered about Coach a time or three.......
Watching "Ole Yeller" as a kid still has influence on me...
