My pitty got out and went into our woods. I called her back (This was about 4 months ago)and she came running back with a "stick" in her mouth. Upon furthur examination it was a batwing (ewwww!) Somone made the comment to me that it was a good thing she had her rabies shot. I replied that I don't think she could get rabies from a dead bat, let alone it's wing. I found this article very enlightening. It's a good "first look" for anyone torn about the valididty of vaccinations. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/08/04/when-it-comes-to-vaccinating-your-pet-less-is-more.aspx
Nonbite exposures from terrestrial animals rarely cause rabies. However, occasional reports of rabies transmission by nonbite exposures suggest that such exposures should be evaluated for possible PEP administration.
The contamination of open wounds, abrasions, mucous membranes, or theoretically, scratches (potentially contaminated with infectious material from a rabid animal) also constitutes a nonbite exposure.
Other contact by itself, such as petting a rabid animal and contact with blood, urine, or feces of a rabid animal, does not constitute an exposure and is not an indication for PEP.
What is PEP? I didn't think she had rabies, the bat was dead when she found it even if she had eaten the body first before bringing me the wings. People freak out about bats the most and rabies that's for sure. Luckily they don't go around nesting in people's hair or biting them on the neck. This vet is actually on the holistic vet list and located in Kanakee IL.
Melissa Thom Webboard User Reg: 12-04-2007
Posts: 2781
Loc: Upper Left hand corner, USA
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Post Exposure Prophylaxis
Personally I'd treat it as a possibility since you don't know if she killed the bat, just ate a dead bat, or just found a left over wing (yummy). Because the exposure is to the mucus membranes the *possibility* is there although very very unlikely because rabies is very hard to get, but not impossible. Just keep an eye on it for about 10 days and if she starts to get sick take her in.
The test for rabies in dogs as done by the health dept isn't a fun one. My dad does intake on about 10 tests a year in our local county mostly on bats, raccoons, and cats. The process is basically euthanize, lop off head, and ship to a lab.
It was a while back (March or April) Do you think it's enough time to tell if she's OK? I used to work at a vet in the late 80's and I remember the vet tech had to remove a labrador's head to send in. I refused to help as I was just an assistant and there was no way I could have handled doing that ( I was also only 18). Anyways, I'm not vaccinating my dogs until they've had the anitbody test I think it's called a titer.
I'm with Melissa on this one if there is even a chance of exposure why risk it? Vaccinate or die? A no brainer as far as I am concerned; then again I live in an area of rabid skunks, raccoons etc....
My dog had an encounter with coyotes when he was a pup and even though the chances rabid coyotes would be traveling together and hunting, was slim.....I opted to have the rabies series after my vet informed me that it wasn't all my dog's blood on me and I had large cracks due to dry skin on my hands; Thor was fine he had already been vaccinated.
I don't know about the States but I think most Canadian provinces provide information on which species have had rabies in the past and how common it is. In Nova Scotia they have never found a raccoon with rabies, and bat rabies is quite rare. Great info since I was worried about the vaccines effects but also spend a lot of time in the woods around wild animals, so a little worried about raccoon contact. Hopefully the stats stay low.
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Rabies contact/Vets own words
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