Curious about rabies

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Purplecat - 07 Jul 2003 02:43 GMT

Hi,
I was thinking about this last night. Yesterday I found and caught a
stray/feral kitten, which managed to give me a bite (mistaking my thumb for
food rather than out of fear/aggression!) This is not the first time I've
been bitten by a feral. Fortunately in Australia we don't have rabies, so
I've never been too worried about handling stray/feral animals. How does
rabies impact on handling unknown domestic animals in US? What happens if
you get bitten by an animal you don't know? Does this affect the average
animal lover's ability to catch/handle stray animals?

Just wondering...

Thanks,
Purplecat

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Cheryl - 07 Jul 2003 02:54 GMT

> How does rabies impact on handling unknown
> domestic animals in US? What happens if you get bitten by an animal
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Thanks,
> Purplecat

If I have to handle a feral cat I wear gloves. Thick ones. I've been
bitten by foster cats and kittens I've rescued; serious bites. The
foster cat who bit me the worst I've ever been bitten was quarantined
in my home and I just watched her, the bite site, and would have taken
action if it was needed. The cat would have been quarantined any
ways, 2 weeks here. In my state they will allow quarantine in my
home. Any strays that I've trapped for neuter I don't get close
enough to them to get bitten. It's trap, trip to the clinic in the
trap, release to my house in the bathroom still in the trap overnight
(or in their own familiar environment) and release. The ones I feed
haven't been aggressive enough after neutering to worry about a bite
but I get them rabies shots and other shots and vetting when they are
neutered.

--
Cheryl

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Karen Chuplis - 07 Jul 2003 03:02 GMT

> Hi,
> I was thinking about this last night. Yesterday I found and caught a
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Thanks,
> Purplecat

Usually if the animal has no reason to be suspected of having rabies, the
person can undergo rabies shots (expensive!!!) and the animal quarantined.
Otherwise the animal will be destroyed and the head sent off for testing.

Karen

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Purplecat - 07 Jul 2003 04:27 GMT

So basically it is an issue to be taken seriously when handling these
animals...
I've always taken for granted that I can catch/handle strays or feral
kittens (and wounded wildlife) with relative safety, which means I've been
able to rescue a few "on the spot" without any gloves or cages - fortunate
for them because I would not have always been able to go back for them
easily another time. Something I guess is not so easy for you guys. Wow.

Purplecat

"Karen Chuplis" <kchuplis@earthlink.net> wrote in message at

> Usually if the animal has no reason to be suspected of having rabies, the
> person can undergo rabies shots (expensive!!!) and the animal quarantined.
> Otherwise the animal will be destroyed and the head sent off for testing.
>
> Karen

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Laura R. - 07 Jul 2003 05:03 GMT

circa Mon, 7 Jul 2003 13:27:50 +1000, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
Purplecat (aeon3@nospam.hotmail.com) said,

> So basically it is an issue to be taken seriously when handling these
> animals...
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> for them because I would not have always been able to go back for them
> easily another time. Something I guess is not so easy for you guys. Wow.

Nor for you- see my other response. With that said, I'd probably do
the same thing you have, but I'm a dumb softheart like that. ;-)

Laura

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Purplecat - 07 Jul 2003 08:15 GMT

> circa Mon, 7 Jul 2003 13:27:50 +1000, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
> Purplecat (aeon3@nospam.hotmail.com) said,
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Nor for you- see my other response. With that said, I'd probably do
> the same thing you have, but I'm a dumb softheart like that. ;-)

Well yes, it was definitely a dumb softheart action.
But I'm pretty cluey about the risks of handling animals and the risks of
physical injury,
and I try not to do anything too stupid (dumb softheart nature aside). I've
never
been seriously bitten or injured, which I put down to caution rather than
luck, but
at least I know that in the case I do get a nip (as I did with this kitten)
rabies is one
thing that I just don't have to think about.

Note: Not to downplay the risks - your tendon infection story sounds truly
horrific and is a reminder to everyone that the risks of serious
complications, while relatively rare, are very very real. My friend's boss
nearly lost her arm to a cat scratch...

Purplecat

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Sherry - 07 Jul 2003 07:42 GMT

>Usually if the animal has no reason to be suspected of having rabies, the
>person can undergo rabies shots (expensive!!!) and the animal quarantined.
>Otherwise the animal will be destroyed and the head sent off for testing.
>
>Karen

IIRC, if there's no reason to suspect an animal has rabies, the person bitten
doesn't start the rabies series. Not unless the animal can't be located for
testing or quarantine. The series isn't without risk itself, and they don't
routinely vaccinate people just because they're bitten. Wild/stray animals are
automatically euthanized and tested, but owned/vaccinated animals are
quarantined. I think they laws vary from state to state though.

Sherry

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Laura R. - 07 Jul 2003 04:37 GMT

circa Mon, 7 Jul 2003 11:43:28 +1000, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav,
Purplecat (aeon3@nospam.hotmail.com) said,

> Hi,
> I was thinking about this last night. Yesterday I found and caught a
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Just wondering...

As a side note since Karen already answered your question, I'd point
out that you are in just as much danger from cat bites in Australia
as people are elsewhere in the world- not because of rabies, but
because of the sheer quantity of bacteria in a cat's mouth.

My cat Alex caused me to be hospitalized some years back when he bit
my finger through to the bone and immediately infected a tendon.
(Tendons have no blood flow, so introduction of bacteria into them
causes instant infection- and I do mean instant. Within thirty
seconds from Alex's bite, my finger was at least three times its
normal diameter and the skin was starting to split.)

I was lucky to retain the use of my hand. I had to be admitted to the
hospital, had to have hydrotherapy three times a day, was on constant
IV antibiotic cocktails, and was told by my hand surgeons that they
were considering opening my arm to the elbow so they could "strip"
the tendon from elbow to finger.

Cat bites *always* have the potential to be dangerous.

Laura

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