Rabies: Prepare By Being Aware

Rabies are a real problem both in the country where we live and in the city. Most people generally think about rabies as being mostly a “dog” problem. In reality it can (and does) affect many different kinds of mammals.

Let’s take a look at a recent incident that occurred to a group that included one of our contributors, Buzz. But first, let’s take a short look at exactly what rabies is. What animals does it affect? How do you spot a rabid animal?  

What Is Rabies Exactly?

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), rabies is a “viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.”

Although it really doesn’t matter to the 3BY mission (I’ll explain why in a bit), for completeness here’s what the CDC has to say about the effects of rabies in people: “The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The early symptoms of rabies in people are similar to that of many other illnesses, including fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort. As the disease progresses, more specific symptoms appear and may include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, hypersalivation (increase in saliva), difficulty swallowing, and hydrophobia (fear of water). Death usually occurs within days of the onset of these symptoms.”

This sounds really bad, so why doesn’t it matter? Because, frankly, if we or our loved ones contract rabies in a Stuff Hits The Fan situation without access to modern medical assistance, then it’s “lights out” for that person.

How Are Rabies Transmitted? Bite? Scratch? Either?

According to the CDC, “all species of mammals are susceptible to rabies virus infection, but only a few species are important as reservoirs for the disease. In the United States, distinct strains of rabies virus have been identified in raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes. Several species of insectivorous bats are also reservoirs for strains of the rabies virus.

Transmission of rabies virus usually begins when infected saliva of a host is passed to an uninfected animal. The most common mode of rabies virus transmission is through the bite and virus-containing saliva of an infected host.”

Scratches can cause transmission as well if the claws contained saliva. Therefore, any contact with rabid animals should be avoided at pretty much all costs. Rabies can also be transmitted by handling the neural tissue of an infected animal. Why would anybody do that? Such contact can happen when handling the carcass of an infected animal.

How To Identify A Rabid Animal

This is where it gets tricky, because animals can act differently when infected. You can’t just look at an animal and tell “that’s rabid”. Ok, Sometimes it’s pretty obvious (i.e. the whole “foaming at the mouth” look).

The key to watch out for isn’t the animals acting one way or another, but rather that they are acting unusually for their species.

With domesticated animals, this gets really difficult (I’ll explain why), but it’s easier to diagnose in wild animals. For example, according to the CDC and my own personal experience, an animal might be timid when you encounter them. It might be acting tame and moving slowly, allowing (and even tempting) a person to get close to it. This isn’t the normal way for wild animals to act. What it is, is a clue that something’s wrong.

On the other hand, as the CDC puts it, “Some animals may act mad when they have rabies. They will be hostile and may try to bite you or other animals. In movies, animals with rabies look like they are foaming at the mouth. What´s really happening is that the rabies makes them have more saliva and that makes them drool.”

A Case In Point

Recently, 3BY contributor and bee expert Buzz sent us the following in a message (edited slightly to make the wording fit this format; not edited for content): “I attended and competed in our sportsman’s club  monthly Black Powder match (patched round ball). We had completed our “warm-up” practice target, hung our first match target with 15-12 firearms all unloaded and safely positioned  in the rack per club rules.”

“A grey fox came out of the wood line near the targets,” Buzz continued, “and proceeded to make its way to the shooting positions. It appeared to be disoriented and walking with an unstable gait.  We observed it pass at about 20 yards to our North in a line that we thought would take it away from our position. One of the participants just happened to be a few yards closer to the fox’s line of travel and had not heard our warnings since it is mandatory for all participants to have ear protection.”

The Attack

According To Buzz, :the fox attacked this individual biting and scratching him and then proceeded to come into a group that was preparing to go to shooting position on the line. It attacked and bit and scratched 3-4 other people before one person held it down with his foot while another incapacitated it with a hammer he had in his tool box.”

“In our area,” Buzz said, “we have had numerous documented incidences of animals such as fox, raccoon, cats etc. with rabies. Many of these documented cases have been near this area. This fox is highly suspect of being rabid.
Affected people had to seek medical treatment.”

Who To Call? What To Do?

This incident occurred on a recent Saturday.

“We called the 911 emergency center which provided us with another phone number to contact. Turned out the entity the 911 center advised us to call did not handle wild animal calls only domestic animal cases. We called at least 5 additional emergency numbers before we reached the appropriate site which happened to be the Dept of Natural Resources (DNREC). The DNREC informed us that they could not test the animal for rabies since there was trauma to the animals head (hammer blows to the head…)”

Buzz’s Takeaways

Buzz had have several observations in regard to this.

1. We are all on our own, do NOT depend on 911 to help.
2. Include situational awareness as your first line of safety and defense.
3. Even with all safety protocols in place, rifles stored safely unloaded and in the rack something can still happen….
4. Consider redundant contingency plan options! Two is one and one is none!
5. Follow your gut feeling, when something doesn’t appear as it should, stay on high alert or better yet, take action!

Salty’s & Spice’s Takeaways

Here are some thoughts from both Salty & Spice on rabies, animals that are acting “off” and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim:

1. The reason we carry holstered sidearms when walking around at “The Place” isn’t for protection against trespassers (although people looking for a place to build a meth lab in the country are always a concern), but rather to deal with rabid and otherwise dangerous animals.
2. If an animal looks “off” in any way, avoid it.
3. Always wear leg protection when walking in tall grass.
4. Having a big stick available is never a bad thing. 
5. If you do get any contact with an animal that was acting ‘odd’, soap, water, and antiseptics are your friend. Will it work? I don’t know, but you’ve got nothing to lost and plenty to gain at that point.
6. If medical care is available after suspect contact, Take It. Right away. People who’ve been exposed to rabies can get an unpleasant but life-saving injection of antibodies. Once symptoms show up, there’s nothing even modern medicine can do.
7. Watch where you’re putting your feet and hands. Sick animals often hole up and lay into anyone that messes with them. 
8. As Buzz’s story shows, just because an animal seems to be unusually docile doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way.
9. Don’t mess with carcasses of animals that died of unknown reasons. If you must, treat them as if you Know they’re infected with serious cooties.