4 ms·
Whether or not to trap the bat requires some common sense specific to the situation, perhaps you can effectively trap it by closing a door for instance. However
by zarzavat 2y ago
Whether or not to trap the bat requires some common sense specific to the situation, perhaps you can effectively trap it by closing a door for instance. However if like GP you've already trapped the bat then you should definitely not release it.
The post-exposure treatment for rabies involves immunoglobulin[0], which is not always easily available especially in the kinds of places where rabies is most endemic. The vaccine alone, post-exposure, may not be sufficient.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound a cure, get vaccinated beforehand.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies_immunoglobulin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies_immunoglobulin
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- Bender 2y agoI've tried multiple times when I was in California to get vaccinated for rabies. Not a single doctor would consider it despite my telling them I handle bats and other critters all the time. Their excuse was that it can have really bad side effects to which I said, "well so can having rabies". A couple of the ER doctors didn't even know what rabies does so we sat there and read the CDC website for 40 minutes. I went there because I had muscle stiffness and lacked a range of motion but that had been going on longer than the incubation period so we just agreed I didn't have rabies, also ibuprofen helped which would not help for rabies. I rescued a pup that was really scared when California was on fire. I also had a few infected bats that were highly aggressive. I know that is not a good test as it can take a while. It would have been nice to get vaccinated but I was just lucky.
- toast0 2y agoChat with veternarians? I've heard they often are vaccinated, because they're at higher risk, and they may know the right words to say to get the vaccine?
- LinuxBender 2y agoThat's a great idea. Maybe they know of private entities that can do it outside of a hospital.
- SoftTalker 2y agoMaybe they just give themselves the dog vaccine, adjusted for their body weight?
- lazide 2y agoI’m sorry, but an ER doctor that doesn’t know what Rabies does?!!!?
- LinuxBender 2y agoTwo of them. I was also surprised given the large number of brown bats that were diagnosed as infected where I lived. It took us reading the CDC website for 40 minutes because most of the documentation talked about the "what" and not the "why". After some digging we found it. This was around 2008 in northern California.
- HelloMcFly 2y agoTravel vaccine clinics are the easiest route to go for a preventative rabies vaccine.
- zarzavat 2y agoThat's surprising to hear a story about under-treatment in the US. In the UK rabies vaccination is easily available from pharmacies, for a fee. The nurse practitioner I saw recommended me to get the vaccine since I was travelling to a place where rabies is endemic.