BATS AND RABIES
Rabies is a disease that is caused by a virus. It affects the brain and spinal cord and can cause death if left untreated. Rabies in people is however rare.
All wild animals play an important role in our environment environment. Some wild animals are more common to carry rabies. These animals include raccoon, skunk, fox, and bats. Animals that have hair or fur and produce milk are at risk to get or spread rabies. It is important not to approach, touch, feed, or relocate any wildlife and this includes finding a bat laying on the ground!
When an animal has rabies, its behavior can be very unpredictable. It may bite or scratch or lose its fear of people. It may seem real friendly. You can’t tell by looking at an animal if it has rabies or not, and it could pass it on to either you or to your pets, so we want you to remember not to feed wild animals and if you see an animal around your property, you should avoid it.
Rabies is also known as hydrophobia is a viral zoonotic neuroinvasive disease that causes acuteencephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in mammals. It is most commonly caused by a bite from an infected animal, but occasionally by other forms of contact. If left untreated in humans it is usually fatal. In some countries it is a significant killer of livestock. The rabies virus makes its way to the brain by following theperipheral nerves. Theincubation period of the disease depends on how far the virus must travel to reach thecentral nervous system, usually taking a few months. Once the infection reaches the central nervous system and symptoms begin to show, the untreated infection is usually fatal within days. In the beginning stages of rabies, the symptoms are malaise, headache, and fever, while in later stages it includes acute pain, violent movements, uncontrolled excitements, depressions, and the inability to swallow water (hence the name hydrophobia). In the final stages, the patient begins to have periods of mania and lethargy, and coma. Death generally occurs due to respiratory insufficiency.
What is rabies?
Rabies is a disease that is caused by a virus. It affects the brain and spinal cord and can cause death if left untreated. Rabies in people is very rare in the United States, but rabies in animals – especially wildlife – is common in most parts of the country. An animal with rabies is called a “rabid” animal.
Bats with rabies do exist. Please never pick up sick bats and contact a Bat Removal Pro Professional for help or call us at 855-515-2287 or 855-515-BATS.
How is rabies spread?
The rabies virus lives in the saliva, brain and spinal cord (neural tissue) of infected animals. It is spread when a rabid animal bites or scratches a person or animal, or if a rabid animal’s saliva or neural tissue comes in contact with a person or animal’s mouth, nose or eyes, or enters a cut in the skin. Rabies is not spread by petting or touching dried saliva, blood, urine, or feces of a rabid animal. What animals can carry rabies?
The most commonly infected animals are skunks, raccoons, bats, and foxes. Rabies can infect any animal that has hair, but is very rare among small rodents like squirrels, rats, mice, and chipmunks.
Bat exposures are often difficult to detect, especially in the cases of a sleeping person awakening to a bat in the room or an adult witnessing a bat in a room with a previously unattended child, mentally disabled person, or intoxicated person.
What is a rabies exposure?
A rabies exposure happens when the saliva or neural tissue of a rabid animal comes in contact with a person or animal through a bite or scratch, cut in the skin, or gets into the eyes, nose, or mouth.
How can I prevent exposure to rabies?
Generally, you can avoid contact with wild animals. Also, make sure your dog or cat is up-to-date on rabies vaccination.