Dog bit wild animal over weekend. Should I be worried?

[mister2]

Took my family out to the woods over the weekend and our dog Sam ran ahead and got into a wild animal of some sort. When I called him back his face and mouth were all covered in fresh blood. Lots of it. I tried checking his face for cuts but there was so much blood it was difficult to tell. Went back to the general area and stopped by a small stone pile and Sam immediately headed toward it and an animal was hissing/snarling at us from within the crevices. I tried poking at it with a stick but it was wedged in there good and wasn't gonna come out so we just left.

The thought of rabies didn't even cross my mind until today and now I'm paranoid as can be especially for my kids who I have no idea if they pet sam immediately after the incident. I know my hand was covered in blood. Like I said the thought never crossed my mind.

Took sam to the vet this morning and the vet said he couldn't find any open wounds on him at all so most likely the blood was from the other animal. That's a relief but I'm more worried about us. I went back out to see if the animal died but there was nothing to be found.

I called the county health dept and they said since we were not bit, don't know if the wild animal had rabies we can do is wait a couple weeks and keep an eye for any signs. Does this sound right to you? Isn't it too late by the time you're showing signs? Isn't there anything else they or I could do? They won't give people shots just based on that level of exposure and also said rabies is not transmitted through contact with blood.

Was wondering what you folks have done when you or your dogs get into wild animals but couldn't retrieve the animal. It's very possible this animal was perfectly healthy and just bad timing but i can't help but worry.

[Sharon]

couldn't delete

[Sharon]

I thought that if your pet has a current rabies vaccination, a booster must be done within 5 days of the incident (in the US), but it appears to depend on your State.As the vet said your pet wasn't bitten , and the vet seemed unconcerned, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

example for Arkansas:

"What happens if my pet (cat, dog, ferret) is bitten by a wild animal?
Answer: Any animal bitten or scratched by either a wild, carnivorous mammal or a bat that is not available for testing should be regarded as having been exposed to rabies. Unvaccinated dogs, cats, and ferrets exposed to a known rabid animal should be euthanized immediately. If the owner is unwilling to have this done, Arkansas state law requires the animal be placed in strict isolation for 6 months and vaccinated 1 month before being released. Animals with expired vaccinations need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Dogs and cats that are currently vaccinated are kept under observation for 90 days." quote
http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/program ... tions.aspx


You may want to Google: "What happens if my is bitten by a wild animal in..................."

[dog dr]

the rabies virus is shed in the saliva of an infected animal, and needs to come into contact with mucous membranes (eye, mouth, etc) or raw tissue (open wound or scratch) to infect another animal. as long as your dog is current on rabies vaccination, and you or the kids had no open wounds/scratches, or didnt lick your fingers, id say you have nothing to worry about. My opinoin is a rabid animal probably wouldnt have retreated and hidden in the rocks.

[DonF]

Took my family out to the woods over the weekend and our dog Sam ran ahead and got into a wild animal of some sort. When I called him back his face and mouth were all covered in fresh blood. Lots of it. I tried checking his face for cuts but there was so much blood it was difficult to tell. Went back to the general area and stopped by a small stone pile and Sam immediately headed toward it and an animal was hissing/snarling at us from within the crevices. I tried poking at it with a stick but it was wedged in there good and wasn't gonna come out so we just left.

The thought of rabies didn't even cross my mind until today and now I'm paranoid as can be especially for my kids who I have no idea if they pet sam immediately after the incident. I know my hand was covered in blood. Like I said the thought never crossed my mind.

Took sam to the vet this morning and the vet said he couldn't find any open wounds on him at all so most likely the blood was from the other animal. That's a relief but I'm more worried about us. I went back out to see if the animal died but there was nothing to be found.

I called the county health dept and they said since we were not bit, don't know if the wild animal had rabies we can do is wait a couple weeks and keep an eye for any signs. Does this sound right to you? Isn't it too late by the time you're showing signs? Isn't there anything else they or I could do? They won't give people shots just based on that level of exposure and also said rabies is not transmitted through contact with blood.

Was wondering what you folks have done when you or your dogs get into wild animals but couldn't retrieve the animal. It's very possible this animal was perfectly healthy and just bad timing but i can't help but worry.

Good for you, you went to the vet first! So many people don't, rather they get on an internet site looking for opinion's. I'm 68 yrs old and have seen one case of rabies in my life, odds are the animal didn't have it but, not knowing, the right course is the one you took. I would have done the same thing. Cost's me $65 for the vet visit plus the shot. Can't replace a dog for that!

[mister2]

That's what I've heard and read too but it still worries me because these are 6 and 8 yr old boys I'm talking about. Who knows what they do with their hands plus both are compulsive nail biters. What to do? How long do you actually have after exposure and still be safe? Gonna call the pediatrician tomorrow. Is the rabies vaccine safe, and should the kids just get vaccinated anyway? I'm freakin out.

The dog is just 1yr 2mos old and this is his 3rd rabies shot already. He got a booster today and another earlier in the year after I saw him hovering over an old raccoon carcass.

[mister2]

It also baffles me that when dealing with the health of a person, the health department would say just wait a couple weeks and look for symptoms versus being proactive and just administering the vaccines. I can understand you don't want any unnecessary vaccines but the alternative is way worse. It gives me the feeling the vaccine is unsafe and that is why they don't give it unless absolutely necessary or am i wrong.

[Sharon]

Looks pretty safe to me:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/sid ... htm#rabies

[dog dr]

the vaccine is safe, Ive had 2 doses of it. heres the issue with your boys and the health department - the preventitive treatment for rabies is an expensive series of very painful shots in the abdomen. Granted, its a better alternative than dying of rabies, but if they started administering those to everybody that comes within 10 ft of a raccoon, skunk or bat, then they d be backed up out to the street and probably not have enough med to go around. I understand your concern, ive got 4 kids myself, but I think your boys are safe based on the circumstances.

[mister2]

Dog Dr thanks for your professional opinion. So far all the other health professionals I've spoken to have basically told me the same thing. Spoke to the pediatrician over the phone and she said based on what we told them, it wasn't even worth bringing the kids in. Hope everyone's right and I'm wrong. Thanks.

[Neil]

This has been a good thread, very informative.

[rinker]

Coon hunters go through this exact same scenario three or four times a night, for 50 or more nights a year. I have never heard of any issues with it.