No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Sitting in the clinic refrigerator today is a grim reminder of how dangerous injured and frightened animals can be. 

A neighborhood feral cat shows up with severely injured back limbs, dehydrated and undoubtedly suffering from exposure to the prolonged subzero temperatures. Once coaxed into a travel crate, she is reluctant to leave. When her Good Samaritan tries to remove her from her crate he is bit numerous times -- through the heavy work gloves he wears.

Now we have a horribly injured stray cat with no known history of rabies vaccination and serious human exposure risk. When the helpful neighbors bring her in to the clinic for evaluation the situation has changed from one of trying to figure out a way to fix the kitty to making sure her rescuer doesn't die of rabies infection.

We know the outcome for this poor kitty is not good the moment we peer into the crate. She has extensive degloving injuries on her hind legs where the skin is stripped off the muscle and sags down the limb like loose stockings. The toes on one foot appear crushed. She is severely dehydrated, sadly debilitated. Even with heroic efforts at medical and surgical salvage, her prognosis is grave.

In the best of situations, if a stray kitty bites or scratches a person it needs to be quarantined in an approved facility (like a veterinary clinic or animal control shelter) where it is examined three times by a veterinarian over a 10-day period. If the animal shows symptoms of rabies during this time, it must be euthanized and its brain must be submitted for rabies testing. THERE IS NO OTHER TEST FOR RABIES! If the animal does not show signs of rabies, it will be vaccinated against rabies on day 10 and released.

Knowing what must be done in this terrible situation, but hoping for an alternative, we call the Wisconsin State

Shipping a specimen to the state
laboratory for testing requires careful
attention to very strict packaging instructions.

Lab of Hygiene and local animal control colleagues for confirmation. The answer is the same from everyone of whom we ask the awful question. The kitty must be put to sleep and her brain must be sent to the state lab for testing.

The Good Samaritans quickly grasp the urgency of the situation. In fact, years ago one of the family members underwent the series of post-exposure prophylactic injections after receiving an injury from an animal that couldn't be tested. If this stray cat's test comes back positive for rabies, the person she bit will undergo the series of post-exposure prophylactic injections as well.

While we wait for the results of the rabies test, the bitee will be watching his wounds for sign of infection. Even a non-rabid cat's bite can create devastating infection requiring heavy duty antibiotics and sometimes hospitalization! Any bite or scratch injury should be immediately and thoroughly washed with soap and water (for 10-15 minutes) to reduce the chance of it becoming infected. 

Some major take home messages from this recent event include:

1) Do not handle an unknown injured animal. Even a beloved and gentle pet may viciously bite out of pain or fear. If you cannot safely approach or handle an injured animal, call local animal control for assistance.

2) Do not release or destroy an animal (wild or domestic) which may have bitten a person. Consult your local animal control or public health department for instructions.

3) Keep your dogs, cats (even indoor only), ferrets and livestock vaccinated against rabies. Doing so limits risk to humans but also protects them against exposure through bats, skunks, foxes, raccoon, etc.

4) Do not handle or make pets out of wild animals--even cute orphaned babies. In many places this type of pet is illegal. Species known to carry rabies may not show any symptoms for a long time, but can put people and pets at risk.

5) Despite the miraculous recovery of Jeanna Giese and a very few others, rabies is still a fatal disease if post-exposure prophylaxis is not sought. If you are concerned about rabies exposure or if a bat is found in a room with a young child or sleeping or mentally incapacitated adult, contact your physician or public health department right away. 

6) According to a July 2013 statement by the World Health Organization, more the 55,000 people die worldwide (primarily Asia and Africa) from rabies, and 40% are children under the age of 15 who were infected by rabid dogs. Mandatory vaccination of dogs in the U.S. after World War II has significantly reduced the number of human deaths from rabies in domestic animals. Post-exposure prophylaxis prevents rabies disease in hundreds of thousands of people each year!

A Veterinarian's Lesson to her Children: "Do Not Ever Pet Wild Animals"

We had just finished an impromptu cook-out with some college friends on their way home from visiting family for Father's Day. The men had taken the troupe of seven kids on a short walk around the farmland. I was in the kitchen chatting with my friend and packing lunches for my kids' first day of summer "enrichment" school. It had been a noisy evening. Seven children under age eleven bickering, whining, laughing, crying, and showing off with the adults' voices escalating to converse over the top of them. Suddenly, in the farmyard, a new sound met our trained mother-ears: shrill screams of excited fear overridden by the two dads' scolding in an oddly harsh, desperate tone. 

A cute but unhealthy and abnormal acting raccoon kit

We rushed to the window, our hearts in our throats. The little girls ran up to us chirping, "A baby raccoon! A baby raccoon!" Puzzled about the drama unfolding outside, we joined the raccoon's entourage. Kids ran pell-mell around the driveway, shouting and pointing, daring each other to get close to the wild creature hiding among the rocks and weeds in front of the playhouse. As I listened and watched, it became clear that the youngest of my brood, my fearless three-year-old, had been reaching out to pet the baby raccoon prompting the fathers' commanding shouts earlier.

With the kids at a safe distance, I approached the baby raccoon and evaluated it from afar. As the kids chanted "it's so cute" in the background, I listed off my concerns. First, it was barely moving. Paralyzed with fear? Fear can make dogs, for example, appear to move in slow motion as if they are sleepy. But this raccoon barely seemed aware of our presence, as loud as we were. Next, its third eyelids (nictitating membranes) were elevated from the inside corners of both eyes, practically obscuring its eyeballs. Elevated third eyelids in my dog and cat patients frequently indicate serious illness and discomfort. Finally, we've never seen a raccoon in the farmyard or even evidence of one since we've inhabited the buildings here. A wild animal hanging out in a high activity area crawling with people and dogs--even an inexperienced youngster--is probably sick, possibly rabid.

It being mid-June, this raccoon kit should still be living with his mother and littermates. The juveniles do not become independent until the fall. Was this kit's mother one of the countless roadkill raccoon that populate Wisconsin highways? Did she die of distemper virus, a frequent cause of death in North American raccoon that can reach epidemic proportions wiping out large numbers of animals? Perhaps this kit is likewise affected and showing the neurological symptoms. Incidentally, the distemper virus that kills raccoon is the same distemper virus that all puppies and dogs should be vaccinated against. It is the same virus, it is just as lethal in dogs as in the raccoon, and as long as it exists in the raccoon population it remains a threat to our canines.

After observing the creature and debating our options (by the way, as cute as it is, the raccoon is not commonly accepted for wildlife rehabilitation for a variety of reasons), I decided humane euthanasia was the kindest ending for the kit and the safest for my human and canine family (and friends). 

Once the raccoon had been put out of its misery, we had a fervent and frank discussion with the staring children. My eldest two had heard this speech many times before, but I had unfortunately never gotten around to telling my preschooler. "Never, never, ever touch a wild animal. If it lets you get close enough to touch it it is probably very sick and might bite or scratch you. It might have a terrible disease called rabies that can kill you." Grave nods all around. How much of this do they even understand, I wonder. "But if you forget," I add gently, "If you someday forget and do touch a wild animal, it is very important that you tell a grown up right away." Even though I regret I failed to prepare my youngest child for this unusual scenario, after tonight I guarantee there are seven Wisconsin kids who won't easily forget the lesson learned first-hand.

Skunked!

Take a whiff on me, that ain't no rose!
Roll up yer window and hold yer nose
You don't have to look and you don't have to see
'Cause you can feel it in your olfactory

You got yer
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
Dead skunk in the middle of the road
You got yer dead skunk in the middle of the road
Stinkin' to high Heaven!

"Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road" by Loudin Wainwright was one of my family's favorite songs growing up. In fact we would burst into the song's chorus anytime we saw roadkill of any variety. I'll admit I find dead skunk smell somewhat appealing. And I know I'm not alone or Scratch 'n Sniff would not have made the ever popular skunk stink sticker! But the faint roadkill aroma of skunk musk is nothing compared to a full on blast of skunk that many unfortunate dog owners experience.

Recently, a friend's little Yorkie got sprayed during her wee-hours-of-the-morning potty break. Talk about getting the day off to a rotten start! If there is a positive note to this story it's that little Lucy encountered her skunk during that creature's regular crepuscular business hours (dawn/dusk). Skunks wondering around in plain sight during the daytime, when they are supposed to be in their dens sleeping, are suspicious for being rabid. (As if you'd need another reason for steering clear of a skunk you meet on your noon walk through the woods!)

Another patient of mine met a skunk several days before Thanksgiving and received a face-full of caustic skunk juice. The oily musk was so potent that casual contact with his owner made her eyes puffy and goopy from conjunctivitis. Indeed, the poor dog's eyes were still inflamed and watery days after the incident and he suffers from a sinus infection from inhaling the horrible skunk substance.

Numerous recipes exist for removing the skunk scent from your dog. A tomato juice bath is a classic treatment that has been replaced in recent years by the following recipe:

Mix together in an open bucket:

1 quart hydrogren peroxide
1 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon liquid dish soap (e.g., Dawn)

Use a sponge or cloth to wipe animal, including inside of mouth. Keep out of eyes!
* For emergency treatment of eyes, flushing with sterile saline eye wash is recommended.

Don't expect any topical treatment to be 100% effective. It can takes days for the skunk smell to fade (or for olfactory fatigue to set in making you "immune" to the smell!) The worst scenario I can imagine for lingering skunk scent actually happened to a friend mine. His country dog Jessie rolled in and ate a dead skunk she found in the woods, then trotted home thus "perfumed" to promptly vomit skunk all over the living room carpet. You can bathe a dog but you can't easily remove skunk vomit from a rug! The carpet had to be removed and the plywood underneath had to be painted with a odor-sealing primer to eliminate all traces of Jessie's misadventure.

We all know the purpose of the skunk's smelly secretion is to ward off predators, but here are some interesting skunk facts:

• A skunk's scent is produced and expelled from specialized anal glands similar to what dogs, cats and most other carnivores also have. (See ABC's of Anal Glands for information about pet animals.)
• Skunks have very poor eyesight, seeing not much further than 10 feet away. Luckily for them, they can spray with accuracy about that far as well!
• Skunks rarely spray each other (except occasionally competing males during breeding season), in part because they only have enough of the sulfur-containing chemical (called mercaptan) for 5-6 uses and it takes another ten days to regenerate it.
• Skunk spray is so effective that bears, wolves, foxes and badgers rarely bother with them, especially because the skunk's black-and-white striping reminds experienced animals to steer clear. The skunk's most serious predator is the great horned owl graced with poor-to-nonexistent sense of smell.
• Because skunks can carry rabies virus (and remain asymptomatic), it is illegal to keep a pet skunk in most states.

Dirty Jobs: Considerations for Cleaning up Wildlife Latrines

Making the most of the unseasonably mild November weekend, we set to work converting an old ice shanty into a deer stand instead. The shanty had been abandoned to the weeds years before, but aside from a broken window and a rip in one of the tin-sided walls, the little building was in remarkably good shape. As we sifted through random lumber, old magazines and broken glass inside, we encountered a raccoon latrine in one corner.

An attic raccoon latrine

If you've never seen a raccoon toilet before you're lucky. Raccoon poop is surprisingly large and bulky. Once a raccoon has picked a toileting spot, he and other raccoon will make repeated deposits there. If the public raccoon toilet happens to be in your attic, barn or shed, you have a real mess to clean up. However, cleaning up wildlife waste sites is not without risk. The eliminations of many creatures can carry various disease-causing micro-organisms.

Rodent Excrement

In the early 1990s an outbreak of a sometimes fatal respiratory illness in humans occurred in southwestern U.S. Also known as Four Corner's Disease and Sin Nombre virus, the causative agent was determined to be  hantavirus and was linked to exposure to mouse droppings. More recently in late summer 2012, eight cases of hantavirus (including three deaths) were confirmed in an area of Yosemite National Park. Hantavirus can be found in rodent saliva and droppings, so people risk exposure to infection when removing rodent nests. Aside from supportive care, there is no specific treatment for hantavirus. To reduce exposure to potentially infectious rodent droppings, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers the following advice.

• When opening an unused cabin, shed, or other building, open all the doors and windows, leave the building, and allow the space to air out for 30 minutes.
• Return to the building and spray the surfaces, carpet, and other areas with a disinfectant. Leave the building for another 30 minutes.
• Spray mouse nests and droppings with a 10% solution of chlorine bleach or similar disinfectant. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Using rubber gloves, place the materials in plastic bags. Seal the bags and throw them in the trash or an incinerator. Dispose of gloves and cleaning materials in the same way.
• Wash all potentially contaminated hard surfaces with a bleach or disinfectant solution. Avoid vacuuming until the area has been thoroughly decontaminated. Then, vacuum the first few times with enough ventilation. Surgical masks may provide some protection.

Pigeon Droppings

Pigeons are an expensive nuisance in urban areas. Their droppings are not only messy, but also are potentially loaded with disease-causing agents. Two types of common soil fungi sometimes grow happily in pigeon poop and can cause serious illness in people when aerosolized. One such fungal disease, histoplasmosis causes fatigue, fever and chest pains in people with high exposure to contaminated droppings. The other, cryptococcosis, can cause lung infections. Both types of fungal disease tend to be worse in immune-compromised people. A third pigeon-poop disease, psittacosis, is caused by bacteria that can be found in the droppings of pigeons as well as some types of pet birds. Inhalation of airborne bacteria may cause flu-like illness and even pneumonia. All three of these infections can be treated with antifungals or antibiotics.

Bat Guano

Bats get a bad enough rap as being a reservoir for the rabies virus. This deadly infection is transmitted via an infected bat's bite not through the bat's waste products. Like pigeon poop, bat guano can contain the fungal organism that causes histoplasmosis. In some parts of the world, the excrement of some bat species has been linked to numerous viruses that affect livestock and people.

Raccoon Latrines

Baylisascaris procyonis, intestinal parasite of raccoon

The raccoon poop piled in the corner of my little shed is not just a foul mess. It almost certainly contains a type of intestinal worm called Baylisascaris procyonis that can infect a variety of animals including dogs and humans if accidentally ingested. Human infections are rare, but can be severe if the parasites invade the eye, organs or the brain. Diagnosis of Baylisascaris infection in pets is made by evaluating a stool sample under the microscope. Special dewormers are needed to treat this type of roundworm in pets and may be used to treat human infections with variable success. Raccoons cause so much damage to property that making your buildings inhospitable to them by securing openings and removing food sources (including pet food) goes a long way to reducing your exposure to their fecal parasites.

The afternoon rain prevented us from following through on the CDC's suggestions for cleaning up a raccoon latrine. But we will be back armed with masks, gloves and shovels. We will probably also have to paint over the raccoon toilet with Kilz primer to seal in odor and make the shack a neat place to hang out. Knowing that we need to take a few simple precautions with our nasty clean-up project will significantly lower our risk of infection.

Just Do It! Rabies Vaccination

My veterinary clinic received a call from a frustrated dog owner late Friday afternoon. Her dog was coughing and refused to eat after spending a mandatory ten days in a local shelter under rabies quarantine after biting someone. Her bill for quarantining her dog was over $200. On top of that, now her dog was very sick and faced additional costs for diagnostics and treatment. All this could have been avoided with a comparatively inexpensive examination and rabies vaccination!

Rabies is a disease not to be trifled with. Because rabies disease poses a significant threat to human health, public officials take bite cases involving dogs and cats as well as wild animals very seriously. Wisconsin law requires pet dogs, cats and ferrets that have bitten a person to be quarantined for ten days and examined by a veterinarian three times during this period to monitor for signs of rabies. Although rabies virus is typically transmitted through bite wounds, it is also rarely spread through contamination of open wounds, abrasions, mucous membranes, or scratches with saliva or other potentially infectious material (neural tissue, cerebrospinal fluid, salivary gland tissue). This means that even if a mere cat scratch results in medical intervention for the person scratched, the injury may need to be reported to the authorities with orders to quarantine.

Here's the catch. If the pet is current on its rabies vaccination, the quarantine can occur in the owner's home. If the pet's rabies vaccination has lapsed the quarantine must be in an approved facility such as a veterinary clinic or shelter at the owner's expense. And either way the pet needs to be examined three times by a veterinarian.

Dog showing signs of rabies during quarantine

Animals that develop neurological signs during the quarantine period are humanely euthanized and their brains are submitted to the state diagnostic laboratory for testing. If the animal's brain tests positive for rabies the injured person needs to undergo rabies prophylaxis, the series of injections to prevent development of rabies disease. In the past, these injections were administered into the person’s abdomen. Nowadays, the injections are given in the arm, not much different from getting a tetanus or flu shot!

Did you know?

• Rabies occurs in more than 150 countries and territories. Rabies is found on every continent on Earth except Antarctica!
• Worldwide, more than 55,000 people die of rabies every year. Nearly half of those bitten by rabid animals are children!
• Dogs are the source of 99% of human rabies deaths.
• In the United States, raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes are common wildlife carriers of rabies. Among domestic animals (besides dogs, cats and ferrets), cattle, horses, swine and other livestock can also be affected by rabies virus.
• Not all rabid animals show the classic foaming-at-the-mouth “mad,” or furious form of rabies. Some rabid animals display the paralytic or “dumb” form of rabies, and may appear to be choking on something. Human exposure in these cases often occurs when a well-meaning person reaches into the animal’s mouth to clear the obstruction!
• Wound cleansing and immunization within a few hours after contact with a suspect rabid animal can prevent the onset of rabies and death.
• Every year, more than 15 million people worldwide receive post-exposure preventive injections to avert the disease – this is estimated to prevent 327,000 rabies deaths annually.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) provides a good overview on rabies disease. Also, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has created an entertaining and enlightening video on rabies which is appropriate for educating young people about the dangers of rabies. 

Just do it! sums up my feelings on rabies prevention. Keep all pets -- even indoor cats -- current on their rabies vaccination. Educate yourself and the children you love about rabies disease prevention. In the case of injury from an animal -- especially wildlife or stranger -- contact the local authorities (police, animal control, physicians, veterinarians) for assistance in determining whether quarantining, testing or prophylaxis is necessary. 

Is it seizures? Nope, just a bad case of fleas!

I currently have the sweetest old kitty in my hospital for rabies quarantine. Here's how that came to be...

When a dog or cat bites a person and that animal is not current on its rabies vaccination, that animal has to be quarantined for 10 days in an approved facility such as a veterinary hospital or animal shelter (at a considerable expense to the owner). During this time, the pet is examined three times by a veterinarian for any signs that it may indeed have rabies. If there are signs of rabies the person bitten will need to have preventative rabies treatment to save his or her life.

The cat in my hospital, Chatterly*, bit his owner during a "seizure" and I performed the first of his three rabies examinations early this week. I was particularly worried that this cat may indeed be rabid because he was having neurologic symptoms at home, so I questioned the owners closely. Turns out Chatterly has no recent vaccine history, he has been having "seizures" for some time, and although he was an indoor cat, he had escaped to the great outdoors during the previous summer for several weeks.

As I watched Chatterly walk around the exam room, I noticed him crouching strangely as if he were weak in the back legs. He was missing a bunch of hair on his back as well. When I touched his back, he began twitching uncontrollably and almost fell over -- a typical "seizure" for him. Chatterly was absolutely crawling with fleas!

I just about laughed out loud with joy and amazement (actually, I think I did laugh which was probably bewildering to the owner). Chatterly wasn't having seizures, he was itchy beyond belief! And that weird crouching? I haven't run any blood tests yet, but I suspect he's very anemic from blood loss (or possibly even feline infectious anemia)!

Legally, Chatterly still needed to be quarantined and examined for rabies, but first we cleaned him up and treated him for fleas. He and his feline companion at home will need a monthly flea treatment for at least three months in a row. The owners were instructed to wash all the bedding in hot water, vacuum all the carpets and furniture weekly for several months and consider using a flea bomb or spray as well.

The most shocking part of this story -- aside from a mild mannered senior cat biting his well-meaning owner because he was out of his mind itchy -- is that Chatterly is one of two patients I've seen this week with fleas.

In January.

In Wisconsin.

Chatterly probably has had fleas on him since his outdoor hiatus this summer. It is unclear how or when my other patient, a geriatric canine, acquired fleas. The point is that we Wisconsinites often become complacent in the winter about continuing flea and tick treatments on our pets. And we almost never think of it for our supposedly indoor only cats! Many veterinary dermatologists recommend year-round flea prevention for pets with allergies because a single flea bite can set off a horrible cycle of itching and infection. Chatterly is the second patient I've met who was so itchy he appeared to be having "seizures."

In general, if your pet is an allergy sufferer, you should keep him on year-round flea prevention. The same applies if your pet vacations with you in Florida and other warm climates. Those of you with a large rabbit or rodent population and pets that catch or munch them, should consider year-round flea prevention as well. In the end, it's cheaper and easier than the complications associated with itchy, infested pets!


* Name has been changed to protect privacy.

So You've Been Adopted by a Stray Kitty. Now What?



Larry, Day 1

Heading into the clinic after lunch Friday, a strange baby cry greeted me by the back door. A tiny, bedraggled kitten ventured toward me. Cautiously I picked him up. Immediately his little velcro claws stuck to my shirt and a disproportionately loud purr began. I was hooked.

Has this happened to you yet? So many of my feline patients began their lives as strays, the arrival of little Larry seems like a perfect time to discuss how to bring a stray into your home.

1. When interacting with a stray cat (or any unknown animal), use caution! He may not be used to being handled and could bite or scratch out of fear. Rabies does affect cats, and many do not exhibit the classic Cujo signs of rabidity.

2. If the stray is amenable to being handled, make a veterinary appointment for him as soon as possible. Until then, keep him quarantined from your other pets to limit transmission of contagious diseases and parasites. Best not to let your children play with him either until he passes veterinary inspection.

3. Fleas are very common on strays. Poor Larry was covered in them. Where the black pellets of "flea dirt" (i.e., flea poop which is digested blood) had gotten wet, his white patches of fur were stained red! I DO NOT RECOMMEND GIVING A FLEA BATH. The chemicals in flea shampoos can be toxic--especially in cats and debilitated animals (which most strays are). Call your veterinarian for alternatives to flea baths.

4. After handling your new stray or his litter box, wash your hands thoroughly. If you have other cats at home, you may want to change your clothes after handling the stray to avoid transferring contagions.

At your stray's first veterinary check-up here are some things to expect:

1. The stray should be scanned for a microchip. Some strays are actually lost pets. The rightful owners will be grateful to know he has been found safe and sound!

2. Especially if you have other cats at home, a Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) test should be done. This is a simple blood test that can show if the stray has these viruses. Inadvertant introduction of theses viruses into your existing cat household can be devastating.Your veterinarian can explain the details of the diseases and testing.

3. The stray should be dewormed according to your veterinarian's protocol. Aside from tapeworms, most intestinal parasites are not readily obvious in the stool. Assume all strays have worms. After all, if the cat was eating rodents to survive he surely has worms!

4. Your veterinarian can treat the fleas, ticks, ear mites, lice or other external parasite(s) found. Be sure to ask if you need to clean where the kitty has been hanging out at home. Many parasites can only be eliminated after multiple treatments plus environmental decontamination.

Larry, Day 3

5. Many strays have upper respiratory infections stemming from common feline viruses. Your veterinarian may recommend vaccinating against feline distemper to help prevent complications from these infections. Depending on the stray's estimated age, your veterinarian may recommend the rabies vaccine as well.

6. Once your new kitty has been determined to be in good health, it is time to consider sterilization surgery. It is easy to tell if an adule male cat has been neutered, but much harder to tell if an adult female has been spayed. Spaying and neutering not only eliminates unwanted litters, but reduces unpleasant behaviors and future health problems.

Now that your stray kitty has a clean bill of health, you can settle down to enjoy the rare pleasures that come from feline companionship! You have been chosen by this kitty to provide the care necessary for his comfortable life. If your stray is like most I've met (including Larry), he is overflowing with affection and devotion.

Stranger on the Farm

Stranger on the farm

The other evening I stepped outside the house in time to see a bizarre animal trotting through the farmyard. It looked like a wild cat but was much taller and lankier. It was awfully shabby looking and had a small white tuft on the end of its tail. My yellow lab EdGrrr caught sight of it too, and gave chase just as the visual puzzle pieces clinked into place in my mind. Although for a split second I wondered if I might be witnessing a Wisconsin chupacabra, I quickly realized it was a terribly mangy fox!

EdGrrr dutifully obeyed my hollers to leave off the sick creature. In spite of being fully vaccinated, I didn't want him tangling with a diseased fox. Then I began to worry. What is this fox doing wandering through a heavily trafficked farmyard at dusk? Is it living in one of the outbuildings? Will it harm my cats or dogs? What if my kids come upon it suddenly as they play? Foxes are known to carry rabies, and I was taught to suspect rabies in any wild animal that acts out of the norm like this.

When asked to "get him up,"  EdGrrr immediately traced the fox to our dairy barn. From an unseen hiding place, the crazy fox started hoarsely barking. This too concerned me. Why would such a reputedly sly creature give away his position? At my urging, my husband readied his shotgun and we began to search in earnest for the miserable creature. Our neighbor, whose chickens had been repeatedly marauded by a hairless fox, gladly answered my call for assistance with the hunt. It didn't take long for him to locate the fox and put him out of his misery.

I know from my experiences with dogs that sarcoptic mange is miserable. The insect parasite makes animals insanely itchy. They scratch at themselves so much they get secondary bacterial skin infections which can lead to serious systemic illness. Upon inspection, this poor fox was nearly hairless. His face was such a mass of scabs it looked like tumors covering his head. Gaunt and bony, the pathetic animal had been stealing chickens in broad daylight. Whether his boldness was due to rabies, starvation or desperation, this fox needed to be eliminated. Doing so performed a duty to the neighborhood animals (wild and domestic), protected my little farm family, and permanently alleviated the fox's suffering.

The "Circle of Life" is not just a Disney anthem. Death is a reality, but it need not be viewed as harsh. Sometimes it is an expedience to maintaining "herd health." Sometimes it is a great kindness.

Driving me batty

My husband hurried into the house the other night slightly breathless. He had been outside closing up one of the outbuildings when a bat breezed in and out of the shed inches above his head. The stuff of vampire lore and Hollywood hype, bats have been giving humans the heebie geebies for millenia. Unfortunately, in recent years bats have also been giving humans the deadly rabies virus.

Bats are actually wonderful creatures. A small bat can capture more than 1,200 mosquitoes in a single hour! They are also sensitive to environmental changes and may act as a "canary in a coal mine" for ecologists. Cave bats (the type that like to roost in attics) are currently threatened by a strange fungal disease called white-nose syndrome. In 2010 they were extended protection from extermination under Wisconsin law.

Despite their virtues, I get a little freaked out about bats. Last spring my newly remodeled old farmhouse was haunted by a bat for several weeks. It tended to show up in the family room while the television was on. Once, while I was tracking it through the house in an effort to shoo it outside, it made a pit stop in a ceiling light fixture. Crouching on the floor and wearing a winter stocking cap (yes, I looked ridiculous), I gazed up in horror as the tiny winged mammal peered over the edge of the shade at me! Its beady eyes, pointy ears and toothy muzzle are imprinted in my memory. Before I could gather my wits it was off again, fluttering finally into an unfinished bedroom amidst construction materials. This scenario repeated over several evenings before I managed to open the front door during one of its sweeps through the living room. Although I never actually saw it leave, that was the last night it appeared.

Later that same summer my sister-in-law was similarly bedeviled by a trespassing bat. On several occasions she found herself trapped under her bed covers miserably text messaging me about her intruder. Finally, her fearless feline Izzie trapped the bat in the bathroom and that was the end of our bat saga. Or nearly so. Because bat droppings were discovered on the bedside table, my sister-in-law's family doctor recommended rabies prophylaxis. This is the series of injections given to prevent the development of rabies in people exposed to potentially rabid animals. If we had kept and killed the bat, we could have sent it in to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for testing to determine if rabies prophylaxis was necessary. Better safe than sorry. (The CDC provides good guidelines for whom should receive rabies prophylaxis.)

The first case of a successful rabies prophylaxis was in 1885. Louis Pasteur injected a child with recently invented rabies vaccine soon after the boy was mauled by a rabid dog. Amazingly, the child survived! Once signs of rabies appear the disease is always fatal.*

Bats have only recently been cited as a reservoir for rabies virus. Until the late 1980s, dogs were a major source of rabies in the U.S. Widespread mandatory vaccination programs have significantly decreased dog rabidity. Most human cases of rabies exposure in the U.S. are now linked to wildlife such as skunks and bats. Worldwide, however, dogs are linked to nearly 55,000 human rabies deaths a year. Efforts like World Rabies Day are underway to vaccinate as many canines as possible to reduce the incidence of human rabies.

Cat catches bat

Rules regarding rabies vaccination of cats varies by municipality. Many people feel their indoor cats do not need rabies vaccination. However, because you never know when your home might be visited by a bat intruder, and because indoor kitties like Izzie are ever so helpful in containing potentially rabid bats in the home, I strongly recommend vaccinating all feline friends--indoors or out. Rabies vaccination in pets is safe and inexpensive while the disease and prophylaxis in humans is certainly not!


* The miraculous recovery of the Fond du Lac teenager afflicted with rabies in 2004 should not give us a false sense of security. The therapy used in her case, the Milwaukee Protocol, has been used successfully in only two other cases of human rabies.