Rabies scare: Animal bite!

ruggedtinker8 said:She got it, she definitely got it 😁
Women can have muscles like stallions too 😉

Honestly, women usually have nerves of steel while men act like total snowflakes, which is why they end up having meltdowns over everything... you clearly fall somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. 😁

Angela Wright said:Women usually have nerves of steel, while guys tend to be total sensitive souls who let everything get to them... you're clearly some kind of hybrid. 😁

I’m honestly pretty nervous about those initial shots. It’s even worse now that the vet looked over the bloodwork and thinks it’s likely feline panleukopenia. 😁

I’d much rather deal with an injection that takes something out than one that puts something in. 😉

Hey everyone! I’ve got a bit of a situation on my hands here. So, my little brother (he's 10) actually brought home a golden chipmunk today. Honestly, he had no clue what it was—he legit thought it was some kind of cute squirrel! I immediately told him to get that thing away from him because I was worried it might be rabid. The chipmunk looked pretty beat up, but it wasn't acting aggressive at all; it was actually super tame and chill. We went straight to cleaning up, he hopped in the shower, and we threw all his clothes right into the wash. Now I’m digging through the internet and reading that when wild animals act unusually friendly, it’s often a major red flag for rabies. It also says rabies spreads through saliva, usually via a bite, and since he didn't get bitten and only touched it with his hands, I'm trying to figure out if there's any actual risk of infection. I am totally freaking out a little bit and honestly have no idea what to do next. If anyone has any advice or has dealt with something like this before, please let me know!

wearypilot50 said:Hey everyone... I’m kind of freaking out here. My little brother (he's 10) just brought home a raccoon today. He had no clue what it was—honestly thought it was some kind of weird squirrel. I immediately told him to get away from it because I was terrified it might have rabies. The thing looked pretty exhausted, honestly, and wasn't aggressive at all... actually quite tame. We both jumped straight in the shower and threw our clothes in the wash immediately. But now I'm scrolling through stuff online and reading that when wild animals act "tame," it's often a huge red flag for rabies. It also says rabies spreads through saliva, like a bite... he wasn't bitten, he just touched it with his hands. Is there any actual chance of catching something just from skin contact? I'm spiraling a bit. Any advice would be huge.

Look, if it was small enough that he mistook it for a squirrel and it looks worn out, it’s probably just a lost baby rather than a rabid animal. You aren't really going to catch anything just by touching it without an actual wound or bite. What did you guys end up doing with the raccoon?

Donna Johnson16 said:Look, if this thing was acting so small and weird that you actually thought it was a fox, and it seemed totally exhausted, there's a way better chance it’s just a kit rather than something rabid. Honestly, catching rabies just from skin contact without a bite isn't really how it works. So, what did you end up doing about that squirrel?

Man, I didn't even realize what was going on at first, so I just grabbed some heavy-duty work gloves and hauled the little guy out into the woods near my place. I know, I know, not exactly the brightest move on my part, but I figured it was best, 🙂 .And honestly, I can't say for sure if it was just a baby, though I definitely know squirrels can get big, and this one was pretty lengthy for sure.

Small issue, big headache. A neighbor's dog bit me. I was out riding my bike, got a little too close to the dog, and it nipped my thigh. It didn't really bleed much, just left some bite marks and three tiny red spots that bled a little. Nothing major, just surface stuff. I already washed it with water and rubbing alcohol.

But now that I'm reading up on rabies, I'm starting to freak out because apparently even superficial wounds can be dangerous. What do you guys think?

Ashley Kern said:Small incident, big worry. A neighbor's dog bit me. I was riding my bike, passed a little too close to the dog, and it nipped my thigh. It didn't really bleed much—just three tiny red surface dots where the teeth hit. No deep wound, just marks. I washed it off with water and alcohol.

Now reading about rabies, I'm getting nervous. Apparently, even superficial scratches can be dangerous. Thoughts?

The right move here is to contact your local epidemiology department or a vaccination clinic. You can walk in any weekday; you don't need a referral or an appointment. These services are typically run through your local County Health Department.

They will go over the specifics of the bite with you and ask to see the dog's vaccination records. It would be helpful to have those ready if your neighbor is willing to share them. If the neighbor refuses, the authorities will request the records officially and notify the local vet to check the animal for rabies.

Additionally, stop by your primary care doctor. They need to examine the wound itself and determine if you require a tetanus shot.

I think I’m going to skip the doctor visit after all. I’ve decided I was probably overthinking this. Sure, they say even a tiny scratch can be an issue, but honestly, these three little marks don't feel like much of a problem. If there's actually something wrong, the symptoms should show up in about 30 days, according to what I read. Maybe it'll be too late by then, but I guess I'll just take the risk. Plenty of people get bitten and don't bother with a checkup, and I really just have some minor scratches.

My own cat bit me right on the ankle. She’s been fully vaccinated since she was a kitten, so... well, I wouldn't be losing sleep over rabies if the area wasn't turning bright red, swelling up, and feeling incredibly tender to the touch. I’m fairly certain it isn't rabies—she’s strictly an indoor cat and never sets foot outside—but I am starting to wonder if there's some kind of infection brewing. It happened yesterday and the symptoms haven't budged. For what it's worth, while it was still bleeding, I made sure to disinfect the wound with some antiseptic.
Is this just a standard skin reaction to a bite? She really dug her teeth in; she was pretty worked up with me 😁
Please tell me everything is fine and that Dramamine 😬

Nancy Young79 said:My own cat bit my ankle. She’s been vaccinated since she was a kitten... I wouldn't sweat it if it wasn't red, swollen, and stinging like crazy. .....
Please comfort me and tell me Dramamine is going to work.

Don't be dramatic—just go to the doctor. You probably need antibiotics and a tetanus shot (depending on when you last had one).

stormylynx4 said:Stop being dramatic. Just go see a doctor; you probably need some antibiotics and a tetanus shot, depending on when you last had one.

Thanks. I'm going to check right now if my doctor is actually in the office... what a headache.🤦

So, my doctor swung by this morning, then again tomorrow afternoon... I ended up stopping by the pharmacy, and she handed me some Tyrosur antibiotic gel. She mentioned that if things don't settle down by tomorrow, I should probably touch base with my primary care physician to get a referral for a tetanus shot rather than just waiting around.

Just a quick word of advice so you don't end up making the same mistake I did. If your own pet bites you—someone who hasn't even been outside and is fully up to date on all their shots—don't bother going to the public health department. They’ll just insist on putting your pet under a mandatory 10-day quarantine "just to be safe," and they’re going to charge you $60 for the privilege.
In my case, they basically played me. It’s not like I was attacked by a wild tiger or anything, but since it was my cat, I ended up on Augmentin, got a tetanus shot, and now have to go back for wound cleaning. That part is fine, really. It's just that I'd rather not drag my cat to the vet every five days for observation.
The staff at the clinic actually gave me a heads-up: they told me that if I had just said an unknown stray bit me, we could have skipped the whole unnecessary protocol and saved myself from being out $60 in my pocket.
So, I took the advice. Honestly, if any animal nips you, the best thing you can do is just scrub the wound thoroughly with soap and water. 🙂

I’m such an idiot... my cat bit me, so now I’m dealing with a tetanus shot and a course of antibiotics. To make matters worse, I took her to the vet once, but on the way back, her carrier basically fell apart and she bolted 🤦. She’s been missing for three days now
. I called the vet, and they're telling me I’ll probably need the rabies vaccine since we can't confirm if the cat is actually rabid.

For goodness' sake, she's never even stepped foot outside the house. She was vaccinated when she was first adopted from the local shelter, but I don't have any of the paperwork handy...
Please tell me I won't actually have to get the rabies shot?

I’m going to lose my mind waiting for you all to reply 😬...anyway, it's handled. I signed a waiver stating I won't be getting the vaccine. I know for a fact the cat isn't rabid, but at this rate, I'll be biting anyone who dares to raise my blood pressure 😁

Good morning, everyone!

So, about two days ago, a little kitten gave me a tiny scratch—honestly, it was such a superficial nick that there’s barely even a mark left now... almost invisible, really.

That said, I can't help but wonder: what are the actual odds of catching rabies from something that minor?

Is there any real reason for me to be feeling anxious about this?

And most importantly, can I just head down to my local clinic and ask for the rabies vaccine on my own initiative without waiting for someone else to tell me to?

Thanks so much in advance for any insight you can share!

neonsailor26 said:Morning, everyone.

So, a couple of days ago, this tiny little kitten gave me a tiny scratch—I'm talking a mark so small you can barely even see it anymore, honestly it's almost gone already.

Now I'm actually getting curious about this. Honestly, what are the odds I actually catch rabies??

Is there actually any reason to be worried here, or am I just overthinking things again?

So, the biggest question on my mind right now is—can I actually just go out and ask for that rabies shot on my own terms? Like, can I just walk into a clinic and request it without some major drama or a specific reason?

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can throw my way!

So, what are the actual odds if she hasn't even caught feelings for you yet? And honestly, even if she has, what are we looking at?
Look, you can ask for whatever you want, really—I mean, there’s no rule saying you can't. But whether or not those doctors actually give a damn about your little requests or specific needs? Honestly, that’s something you’re only going to find out once you're sitting right there in the exam room facing them. It’s all about that direct contact. 🍿

velvetmoose9 said:You've got slim chances unless you've really charmed them—and even then, don't count on it.
You can ask for whatever you want, but whether those doctors actually decide to grant your little wishes and desires... well, that’s something you’ll only find out once you're face-to-face with them. 🍿

I’ve already been in to see them. Now, I’m actually planning on seeking out a fifth opinion.

Honestly, the first doctor I saw didn't even bother to physically examine my hand! She just told me to move it left and right so she could "see" where the scratch was. After that, she concluded there wasn't even a scratch—though there is one, it's just incredibly, incredibly tiny—so I just stood up, grabbed my paperwork and my medical file, and walked right out the door.

Afterward, I headed over to the local community health center to see if they could take a look at it too. Things were much better there, thankfully. I walked into the room where two technicians were working, and the older gentleman asked me what I needed, so I explained why I was there. He actually took my hand, moved it side to side, and reached the same conclusion—that he couldn't see anything on my hand—but he did give me some advice: he said if the wound suddenly turns red and starts swelling again, I should come back immediately to get an injection. And just like that, my second exam was over.

So now I'm wondering... did they totally mess this up? Is that even possible?

I mean, I can't exactly just disappear into thin air, can I? 👎👎👎 My God.

Oh, please, stop being so dramatic. It’s just a cat scratch. 🙄 If I were following your logic, I should have been six feet under ages ago considering how many times animals have clawed and bitten me, yet here I am, still breathing. 😁

You aren't heading straight to the grave just yet. First, you have to deal with this:

The furious form of the disease is characterized by disorientation, confusion, aggressive behavior, hallucinations, and seizures. A hallmark symptom is hydrophobia—an intense fear of water triggered when trying to drink, and eventually even just at the sight of liquid. That "foaming at the mouth" clinical picture occurs due to a combination of excessive salivation and difficulty swallowing. Within a few days, death follows via cardiorespiratory arrest. About 30% of patients develop the paralytic form, which is less dramatic but much more prolonged; following muscle paralysis that spreads from the injury site, the patient enters a coma before dying.

Which means you'll be laying flowers on a grave much later down the line. 🥳

Fury is transmitted through saliva. Ergo, there is no way you could have contracted it. End of story.