Just a timely reminder of caution

**frugalfarmwife** · 07-27-2007, 10:04 AM

I know recently we've had threads about the critters that have taken up residence in our houses, from possum to groundhog to squirrels, and although we did laugh about them we need to be CAREFUL!

It seems rabies is more common this year and showing up in many different critters, even a ground hog and squirrels this year, so we all need to be extremely cautious around these animals.

A dear friend of mine just had to have her favorite horse euthanized this morning, they believe she had rabies and are starting testing immediately, if it IS rabies my friend and her whole family will have to go through treatments. It's sad enough that she lost her dear Tiny, but the fear they're going through right now is scaring them badly.

So please be careful with any wildlife!

kj

**Jayne** · 07-27-2007, 10:10 AM

Well said frugalfarmwife!!!..I want to add , keep your rabies vaccinations current on your puppydogs and kitty cats!!!

**Buckeye5** · 07-27-2007, 10:12 AM

that is a sad story about your friend and her horse, and her family. Thanks for keeping us on our toes, and reminding us of the precautions that we anilmal lovers need to take to keep everyone safe!!

**Katybird** · 07-27-2007, 12:30 PM

I am so sorry to hear about your friend's loss. I hope that the rabies test comes back negative.

**baxjul** · 07-27-2007, 12:34 PM

Sorry to hear of your friend, thinking of her and her family!

**dolphinlfier** · 07-28-2007, 06:14 PM

That's a terrible loss! Had the horse been attacked by something recently?

**coltsmama** · 07-28-2007, 08:35 PM

Thanks for the heads up! I was reading a news article recently about this. Very scary.

**frugalfarmwife** · 07-29-2007, 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by dolphinlfier

That's a terrible loss! Had the horse been attacked by something recently?

To their knowledge no attacks at all, but they have a racoon in their barn they've been trying to trap for a while.

The scary thing with rabies is it is DEADLY once symptoms set in, only one person has EVER lived once she showed the neuroligical (sp?) symptoms and she was put into a chemical induced coma. It has since been tried on a young man in TX and it did not work, he wasn't even bitten, the bat brushed by his face.

Rabies is so scattered and random, and often animals/people are exposed BEFORE the symptoms are exibited that it's not caught until to late.

I haven't heard back on the test results yet, she should hear by early this week, honestly not asking her about it, just trying to give her a smile here and there through the day, we live several hours apart and keep in touch mainly online. She and her family are holding up for now but really hoping that they don't need the treatments.

kj

**bumplett** · 07-29-2007, 02:19 AM

so sorry for your friend -

**Daisygirl** · 07-29-2007, 07:32 AM

We recently had a rabid cat picked up in our neighborhood. This kind of thing is so scary, the rabid cat attacked my cat, who was thankfully vaccinated, and I beat the rabid one off with a shovel. I have never seen anything like it before and I hope I never see anything like it again. My concern is all the wildlife in my area that might have been attacked by this poor cat.

**fuzzybunny** · 07-30-2007, 01:54 AM

Just a random fact, opossums don't carry rabies. Their body temperature is too low for the disease to survive, so you don't have to worry so much about them... all though they will eat you out of house and home if you leave pet food outside.
Christine

**Jskell911** · 07-30-2007, 04:55 AM

I didn'y know they couldn'y carry rabies. Learned something there. Thanks!

**miss_thrifty** · 07-30-2007, 08:35 AM

so sorry to hear about your friends misfortune awe hhuuggsss That must be so sad for her. I love horses.
yesterday when i got hubby to put more lime in our friends neighbours can(to keep maggots down to miniumn), a baby raccoon was in the can and couldnt get out. Scared the bejumpers out of every body. he had to lay the this heavy extra large can down to towards wooded area on other side of us to get him out. The neighbours last used the can Friday night and forgot to put rock on top of can.
I told him last nite when he was getting ready to leave the house. He said thanks I will. If it would of been his girlfriend she would of flipped.

i should state that I started washing my can, and 2 on my side of town house and 1 on the other sides of the neighbours and putting extra paper and lime. These are the good neighbours we talk to on daily bases. And one got the lime for all of us, and Im the only unit who has a hose and outlet in all the units.

**frugalfarmwife** · 07-30-2007, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by fuzzybunny

Just a random fact, opossums don't carry rabies. Their body temperature is too low for the disease to survive, so you don't have to worry so much about them... all though they will eat you out of house and home if you leave pet food outside.
Christine

Thanks, I didn't know that either, but possum can carry a disease called EPM (equine protozoal mylitis SP?) which can be deadly to horses, it's a neurological disease, so possum are also banned from my farm, just ask Cooterdog, they're on his list of "get em" targets.

kj

**autumnlynn** · 07-30-2007, 08:42 AM

Gosh, I've learned a lot today. Thanks for all the info. My son almost picked up a racoon. It was out by our front porch and Josh thought it was our cat because it was getting dark. I yelled just in time to keep him from picking it up. I wonder why all these wild animals are coming so close.