Last week, a friend (of a friend) saw a raccoon acting strangely in the outskirts of Reading, PA. I was originally told the raccoon acted aggressively. First reaction of friends – a rabid raccoon.
The raccoon didn’t bite anyone. In the end, it appears the raccoon may have been injured. At this point, no one knows exactly what was/is wrong with this animal since he hasn’t been seen this scary encounter.
This incident comes on the heels of another animal who was seen (by another friend) acting peculiar prior to the raccoon incident. That animal hasn’t been seen since either.
Is this a case of rabies or injured animals? Don’t know. However, these incidences serve as a reminder that any animal acting strangely can be infected with the rabies virus. Animals are NOT carriers of the virus. All who have rabies are sick from it.
We must be diligent when it comes to our pets, ourselves,and wildlife.
Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of infected animals.
There are five types of rabies- bat, skunk, raccoon, fox, and canine.
Signs of a rabid animal: (courtesy of Wildlife in Crisis)
Acting strange or sick, convulsing, circling, appearing disoriented or partially paralyzed, unprovoked aggression or uncharacteristic tameness.
If you see this, call your local Game Commission or the police!
You can only get rabies through a bite, scratches, open wounds or mucous membranes contained with saliva or brain tissue from a rabid animal.
Keep your pets vaccincated against the rabies virus! In Pennsylvania, all dogs must be vaccinated every three years. This is your pet’s only protection from contracting rabies.
A number of years ago, a rabid raccoon attacked a relative’s dog who was sitting on his back porch. The raccoon attacked and bit the dog. The relative heard alot of noise and commotion emanating outside his back door. When he ran outside, he saw a raccoon clamped to his dog’s leg and refused to let go. Multiple attempts to get the raccoon off the dog failed. Nothing fazed the rabid raccoon.
It took many whacks to the raccoon’s head and body for it to finally release the dog.
Sadly, the dog was euthanized. He had been bitten quite badly. The relative didn’t want to quarantine him for months on end to see if he had rabies.
I’ve also seen a rabid raccoon while I was driving on a rural road a few years ago. The raccoon was extremely disoriented and circling on the road.
A raccoon that is outside during the day does not necessarily mean it is rabid. If it’s acting strangely, then you should be concerned.
If you see an animal exhibiting any of the symptoms listed, stay away. Keep an eye on your dog or cat when outside.
Sounds scary enough for me. That’s horrible that your relative had to put down his dog. Don’t know what I would’ve done if I saw my dog being attacked by a rabid raccoon. Did he kill it?
Yes, he did eventually kill it. It was quite traumatic. Thank you.
People assume if a raccoon is out during the day, it’s rabid. A mother raccoon could be taking care of her babies or making a nest. They are mainly nocturnal animals but they do come out during the day.
Rabies is serious business. Don’t play around with it!