Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?

This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

While the odds on you having contracted rabies this morning are
extremely small, I doubt you are going to find anyone to tell you
positively that they are zero.

(If you didn't know before, now you know not to play with a cat while
its playing with its food)

If there have been any instances of rabies in the animal population
locally the vet should have known about it.

Now, the part I totally failed to understand. You are a worrier. You
have been through a situation where the chances of an infection are
very high. The kind of infection where you might see no signs tonight
and could wake up tomorrow with serious involvement. You have been to
the ER and they gave you antibiotics. But you are choosing not to
take them. Instead you are worrying about rabies.

Get over yourself and work on your priorities!

Jo


"Candace" wrote in message
...
This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of
rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my
thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one
was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most
lately,
makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few
minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and
got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have
answers
to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance
of
contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well,
what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at
the
vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available
it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and
refuse
to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go
and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should
have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area.
How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those
animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my
neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

On Mar 14, 7:05*pm, "Jofirey" wrote:
While the odds on you having contracted rabies this morning are
extremely small, I doubt you are going to find anyone to tell you
positively that they are zero.

(If you didn't know before, now you know not to play with a cat while
its playing with its food)

If there have been any instances of rabies in the animal population
locally the vet should have known about it.

Now, the part I totally failed to understand. *You are a worrier. *You
have been through a situation where the chances of an infection are
very high. *The kind of infection where you might see no signs tonight
and could wake up tomorrow with serious involvement. *You have been to
the ER and they gave you antibiotics. *But you are choosing not to
take them. *Instead you are worrying about rabies.

Get over yourself and work on your priorities!

Jo


I know but the only abx the guy would give me is Augmentin and--sorry
to be graphic--the last time I took that, I had major GI distress. I
can't have the trots and go to work on Monday. I told him this and he
said Augmentin is the only thing for cat bites. I just can't have
severe you-know-what for the next 10 days.

I still have the leftover ones from the last time I got prescribed
them--I guess I could take the over the weekend. I have to say--I've
never gotten an infection from a cat bite or scratch and I've been bit
and scratched a lot. It's hard for me to think this time is any
different.

Candace

"Candace" wrote in message
...
This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. What a thank you for
all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean to
do that, **** what rotten luck).

First, calm down, you're going to be ok. If you have the hamster's body,
they can test it for rabies. Did you report to the Urgent Care center that
you had been bitten by Ebony? If you reported the bite they'll probably
come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back - they'll
keep him under observation for a period of time. At least that is the law
in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his
shots. It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either
animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you won't
have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal
shows positive for rabies.

Second, I'd go ahead and take the antibiotics even if you don't show any
signs of infection - a cat bite is extremely likely to become infected, it's
second only to a human bite in germs. Not to scare you more than you
already are, but I read the story of a woman who almost lost her hand from
an untreated cat bite. It's very likely to become infected deep inside the
wound (the problem is their long but narrow fangs that can deliver germs
deep under the skin in a hole that lets very little blood flow out to rinse
out the germs). Taking the antibiotics as a prophylactic is your best bet
to keep from having a whole lot more medical problems than you're already
facing.

I'm sorry, this was rather disjointed - I hope I didn't just scare you more
than you are. I think everything will be just fine, but I can understand
you worrying about this, gawd, I would too. Please let us know how this
turns out. Purrs on the way for everything to be fine.

Hugs,

CatNipped

On Mar 14, 7:23*pm, "CatNipped" wrote:
"Candace" wrote in message

...



This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. *I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. *My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. *I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). *I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. *They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. *I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. *The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. *He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. *I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. *Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. *The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. *Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. *He took off horrified. *I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. *I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. *I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. *There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. *How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. *Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! *Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. *What a thank you for
all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean to
do that, **** what rotten luck).

First, calm down, you're going to be ok. *If you have the hamster's body,
they can test it for rabies. *Did you report to the Urgent Care center that
you had been bitten by Ebony? *If you reported the bite they'll probably
come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back - they'll
keep him under observation for a period of time. *At least that is the law
in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his
shots. *It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either
animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you won't
have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal
shows positive for rabies.

That's just it--no one really gave a crap. They know a cat bit me,
they weren't interested in observing him, they weren't really
interested in the hamster's body, either. All they would have to do
is test the hamster but I guess it costs $$ so I'm sure they won't
care. I can already envision what the Public Health Dept. will say--
oh, you probably won't get it, no, we won't test it, blahblahblah--and
therefore no dr. will probably give me the shots. They won't come
looking for Ebony, they don't have the $$ to do that. If I want him
observed, I would probably have to pay his boarding fee for a few
months. No one will care, it's just the government.

I guess I could make up some story about a stray, foaming dog biting
me if I want to get the shots.

The vet didn't seem concerned about the possibility of rabies, btw.

Candace

wrote in message
...
On Mar 14, 7:23 pm, "CatNipped" wrote:
"Candace" wrote in message

...



This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. What a thank you for
all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean
to
do that, **** what rotten luck).

First, calm down, you're going to be ok. If you have the hamster's body,
they can test it for rabies. Did you report to the Urgent Care center that
you had been bitten by Ebony? If you reported the bite they'll probably
come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back -
they'll
keep him under observation for a period of time. At least that is the law
in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his
shots. It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either
animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you
won't
have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal
shows positive for rabies.

That's just it--no one really gave a crap. They know a cat bit me,
they weren't interested in observing him, they weren't really
interested in the hamster's body, either. All they would have to do
is test the hamster but I guess it costs $$ so I'm sure they won't
care. I can already envision what the Public Health Dept. will say--
oh, you probably won't get it, no, we won't test it, blahblahblah--and
therefore no dr. will probably give me the shots. They won't come
looking for Ebony, they don't have the $$ to do that. If I want him
observed, I would probably have to pay his boarding fee for a few
months. No one will care, it's just the government.

I guess I could make up some story about a stray, foaming dog biting
me if I want to get the shots.

The vet didn't seem concerned about the possibility of rabies, btw.

Candace

------------------

That's just flabbergasting! I got a bad scratch by a stray cat once and the
hospital reported it and had animal control at my apartment house looking
for the cat before I got home from the hospital!! Do they know how badly
they are leaving themselves open to a law suit??? [rhetorical question
already answered by their actions] Unreal. If you don't get any response
to more phone calles I'd definitely get in touch with your local "action
reporter" about this story - they love uncovering imcompetance in local
government. In the meantime keep an eye out for Ebony and do your own
observation and keep insisting that they test the hamster - over and over
again going up the chain of command til you reach the mayor if you have to!
Even if the chance of rabies in one in a million it's still not zero and
your life is too precious to risk on allowing lazy beaurocrats to pass the
buck!

Hugs,

CatNipped

You have done all you can do until Monday. Try to chill, as the grand kids
say. Those shots, from what I hear are nothing you really want. I think
the health department may be more help than you think. If not you can
figure where to go from there to get some help.
wrote in message
...
On Mar 14, 7:23 pm, "CatNipped" wrote:
"Candace" wrote in message

...



This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. What a thank you for
all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean
to
do that, **** what rotten luck).

First, calm down, you're going to be ok. If you have the hamster's body,
they can test it for rabies. Did you report to the Urgent Care center that
you had been bitten by Ebony? If you reported the bite they'll probably
come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back -
they'll
keep him under observation for a period of time. At least that is the law
in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his
shots. It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either
animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you
won't
have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal
shows positive for rabies.

That's just it--no one really gave a crap. They know a cat bit me,
they weren't interested in observing him, they weren't really
interested in the hamster's body, either. All they would have to do
is test the hamster but I guess it costs $$ so I'm sure they won't
care. I can already envision what the Public Health Dept. will say--
oh, you probably won't get it, no, we won't test it, blahblahblah--and
therefore no dr. will probably give me the shots. They won't come
looking for Ebony, they don't have the $$ to do that. If I want him
observed, I would probably have to pay his boarding fee for a few
months. No one will care, it's just the government.

I guess I could make up some story about a stray, foaming dog biting
me if I want to get the shots.

The vet didn't seem concerned about the possibility of rabies, btw.

Candace

On Mar 14, 8:50*pm, Candace wrote:
This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. *I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. *My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. *I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). *I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. *They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. *I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. *The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. *He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. *I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. *Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. *The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. *Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. *He took off horrified. *I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. *I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. *I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. *There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. *How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. *Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! *Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

"Candace" wrote in message
...
This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!


Hi Candace,

Unlurking a bit here. I am a microbiologist and I used to work in a Public
Health Lab--I used to do Rabies testing all the time. Rodents, including
hamsters, are considered to be a very low threat for Rabies and testing is
almost never recommended. I can't give you a precise percentage but I would
say it's much less than 1 percent.

Is Ebony vaccinated? If he is, I don't think you really need to worry. The
determination to either test for rabies or to get treated is partly
dependent on the circumstances. If this were considered to be an unprovoked
attack (if he had chased you down and bitten you) I would be a lot more
concerned. As it is, Ebony was protecting his prize and it would be
considered a provoked attack. No one can say that you have a zero risk of
getting rabies but I think it is extremely low. Rabies is found primarily
in the brain/nervous tissue and in the saliva, not so much in the blood.
Unfortunately, testing the kitty means the cat would have to be euthanized
(or possibly quarantined for 10 days or so). Post exposure treatment is not
as bad as it used to be but still isn't much fun and is very expensive.

Even if you live in an urban area, there can still be animals that are
rabid--I would be much more concerned if you'd been bitten by a bat. Bats
are notorious for being rabid--almost all of the cases of human deaths from
rabies in the US are traced to bat rabies.

I am much more concerned about you getting a very very nasty infection from
Ebony's bite. Cat bites can cause hideous infections and can be very
difficult to treat, especially if it is a deep bite.

If I were you, I would try not too stress too much, call your Public Health
Department and see what they have to say. And, get that bite treated!!
Maybe the Doc can give you an antibiotic that isn't so hard on your tummy!!

All the best,

Bonnie

PS Here's a link to CDC. It has some good info.

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/types.html

On Mar 14, 8:50*pm, Candace wrote:
This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. *I went out and he had some sort of rodent
(I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't
dead. *My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed
him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his
formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb.

Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. *I called one of my vet practices (one was
distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately,
makes me reconsider). *I got the wounded but living rodent into a
coffee can without touching it at all. *They identified it as a
hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild
for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long.

I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been
exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes
later Ebony passed it onto me. *I went to an Urgent Care place and got
a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing
appears infected at this time. *The doctor really didn't have answers
to any of my questions. *He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of
contracting rabies. *I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period
in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what
if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also
scratched me several places).

So I've been reading up, of course. *Hamsters rarely get rabies but
who knows how long this hamster has been outside.

The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the
vet's. *The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on
Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it
cold be tested if they would do that.

So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you
think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or
if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse
to administer them to me. *Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and
it's always fatal if you get it.

Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having
rabies prior to this event. *He took off horrified. *I'm sure he'll
come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. *I should have
just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying
about myself now.

I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. *I live in a
very urban area of Phoenix. *There are no large wild animals--no
coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around
sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. *How
do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals?
And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. *Maybe the Public
Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood
among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most
govt. agencies are.

Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now
I'm all stressed! *Any words of wisdom?

Candace

p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly
concerned about ME!

Candace, I'm really surprised at the lax attitute you experienced from
the health professionals.
We had the dept. of health calling our house, because the docs were
required to call them
any animal bite. IMO your case should have been taken more seriously.
Maybe it's because hamsters aren't prone to rabies. But you probably
have been exposed to
the blood/saliva of the animal through the cat bite, and rabies is NOT
something to play
around with.
Another thing is, I've been treated for cat bites several times.
They've used doxycycline, penicillin, and even
once Cipro. I've never had Augmentin for a puncture bite. It's hard to
believe that's the only antibiotic that'll
work! Tell them the reaction you have to the drug -- surely they can
prescribe a different one that will also
be effective.
I think the chances you've been exposed to rabies are practically nil,
but on the OFF CHANCE the animal
tests positive, one thing I can tell you is that the vaccination
series is nothing as bad as it used to be.
Please keep us posted. Sending best wishes that the hamster is NOT
positive.
As far as "words of wisdom" (don't make me laugh!)....watch the bite
to be sure it doesn't get too red, or too swollen,
or a red streak doesn't start running up your arm. If it does, hit
your ER or Urgent Care clinic. They can administer
IV antibiotics.
Good luck! Let me know. I'm gonna be worried about you too :-)

Sherry

Sherry